A brightest side
by Pauch
Summary: Bella is a succesfull writter under a pen name.Her inspiration has been coming from a great source: dreams.She has been dreaming of him for years and he has set all her basis of comparison. But will she be able to live now in the real world? AH/ACC
1. Prologue

**This is my first fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it.**

**I also want you to know that I'm not an english speaker, although I have been studying it for a long time now. So I hope you will help me with my gramar issues.**

**I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does (and how I envy her for that!)**

**Please review!!**

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Prologue: A great void, and a new light

The first time Bella dreamed about him she was fifteen.

It was about six months after her parents' accident. The one that ended up with both of them dead.

Since the accident, life was nothing but a great void for Bella, and she often felt she was sinking into a dark ocean.

She was sent to live with her aunt Margaret in a little town called Forks. Her aunt was the only family member left to take care of Bella. Margaret was pretty nice and was always trying to make her feel better. But back then it was not a single thing that could.

Bella started going to Forks High School, but that didn't change the profound loneliness she was inmersed in. She had never been a "people person", and that was now even more noticiable than ever.

They all thought of her as a weird girl, a "freak". And in a certain way, she was. More now than in the past.

She had always had particular likings and interest, such as literature, comics, scifi and fantasy. And that never was a friend magnet.

As reality continue to play treacherous games with her psych, Bella decided to get deeper and deeper into her fantasy world in order to avoid as much reality as possible.

She started to read almost in an obssesive way, keeping her mind occupied with all kind of creatures, and adventure, and the impossible. Also began to draw and write her own stuff, letting the weight of her imagination into every piece of work she created.

But although it seemed to work as a distraction during the day, Bella's fantasy escape was unable to keep her nightmares away.

The same awful dream came upon her night after night. Always the same. Never changing.

She was trying to run as fast as possible, but never enough, after her parents' car, while they waved goodbye at her through the back window of the automovile. She kept running, never able to find her voice to shout a warning, never allowed to reach her target.

Bella used to woke up in the middle of the night shouting her parents name, sweaty and cold, panic rushing throught her veins.

Nights became impossible, day hardly bearable.

Keeped awake by her dreams every night, too tired to make any efforts to live during the day, Bella slowly began to fell like a zombie.

Her books, her drawing and her inner world became the only beckon in a collapsing world.

But then she dreamed of him for the first time.

And she continued to dream of him every single night.

Nightmares were replaced.

And life began to show a new and almost brightest side.

**Please review. I need helpl!!**


	2. Chapter 1: A lifetime best friend

Chapter 1: A lifetime best friend

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First day in college seemed to be ok, at least in Bella's way.

She had keept going from class to class, avoiding as much people as possible, but enjoying being back in the academic world after so long.

She was now sitting in Modern History class, waiting for the teacher to show up and began the lesson.

The other people in the classroom were chatting between each other, introducing themselves, presenting people to others, being social.

Bella, as was her own way, was looking down to her notepad, drawing absentmindly, and hopping that no one would notice her.

"You are pretty good, you know?". She heard the voice coming from behind her, at her right, but she didn't look up to see the face of the one talking. Maybe the comment was not meant for her, maybe if she didn't gaze the person would go and let her alone.

But contrary to her expectations, she felt that someone was sitting in the chair right next to her side.

"That's a very good drawing. You are very talented" the voice came cheerful again.

Bella raised her eyes to meet to girl with the musical tone.

"Hi!" she said. "My name is Alice. This is my first day. Yours too?".

Bella looked into her brown eyes, full of contagious happiness, and couldn't contain a smile.

Alice was a tiny little girl, but so beautiful, that Bella thought she could easily be mistaken by a fairy. She had short pointed chocolate hair and her mouth was curled in the most attractive and seductive smile she had ever seen.

Bella felt forced to answer her question, still keeping a low smile in the corners of her mouth.

"Yes, it's my first day too. I'm Bella, by the way" she found herself saying.

"It's very nice to meet you" Alice replyed looking again at her drawing. "Are you an artist?" she asked.

Bella laughed. "No, I only enjoy drawing. Actually I'm a writter".

Why was she telling this to this strange and unknown girl? She wasn't sure, but it just felt right and almost relieving being talking to her.

"Really?" Alice said lifting an eyebrow. "I read a lot. Should I have heard of you?"

"Perhaps" Bella found herself confessing again. "But I use a pen name to writte, so you would not recognize my real name".

"Why do you use a pen name?". Alice seemed to be confused.

"Actually, because I was too young when my first book came out and I wanted to remain as a normal teenager as long as I could" Bella replyed and thought to herself that she had never been a normal teenager. And she had never been this chatty either.

"Oh, I see..." Alice sayd, and then the confused eyes were erased, replaced again by her smiling glaze.

In that moment the profesor came in and everyone took their places. Before he began the lesson, Bella felt Alice bending over her and whispering in her ear:

"I am not exactly sure why, but I have this strange familiar feeling around you. Like if I had meet you for a long time, like you had been my friend always"

Bella turned to look at her with curiosity written in her eyes, almost incredulous of what she was saying. Not because of the weirdness of ther statement, but because she was feeling the same exact thing. For the first time since her life had tragically changed.

"I know how it sounds. Please don't think that I lost my mind" Alice continue almost pleeding.

"I don't" Bella replied. "I assure you nothing you could ever say will seem weird to me". She felt a truthful smile spreding at her face.

Alice giggled a little, behind her hand, keeping an eye on the professor as if she were really listening to him.

"You are really something else, are you?" she observed. "I'm finished for the day after this class. I was thinking... Would you like to go to have a coffee with me? I think it would be rather interesting", she looked at Bella while finishing the sentence waiting for her answer.

"I would love to".


	3. Chapter 2: A different love story

**Please help me by reviewing. It's been really hard for me to try to put my ideas into this story in English. But yet I cannot write it Spanish. It just feels right to do it in English.**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

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Chapter 2: A different love story

Bella and Alice were walking down the halls of the college, heading to the parking lot.

"So tell me" Alice began. "Did you enjoy your first day?"

Bella smiled before answering. "Actually, I did. I had missed it. I have been away from academical knowledge since I finished high school"

"Why?" Alice questioned.

"Because of my job" Bella simple stated the fact.

"Don't be upset, but... How old are you?" Alice looked confused.

"I'm twenty two"

"Well, you really seem younger than that" the little girl pointed while waving her hand to a couple of girls who were walking in the other way. "I'm eighteen by the way. I finished High School last year".

Both keep their pace, silence now unfolding among them. But, to Bella great pleasure, it was not an uncomfortable silence. They looked into each other eyes, and laughed as they realized their thoughts were connected.

Alice said "Hi" to some other people before reaching the line of parked cars outside the building. Bella couldn't stop herself from thinking that her new acquired friend was rather popular, which made her wonder about why in the world would Alice choose her as a company.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Bella asked. "I have my car here, so we can go anywhere you want..." She left the sentece holding in the air for Alice to make the decition.

"That's great!" the tiny woman seemed to be really excited at her simple comment. "I came with my brother but he's gone, so this is very suitable. I know a really cool cafe downtown. We should go there".

Bella nodded her head and got the car keys from her pocket, pressing the button. The lights of the car turned on indicating it was open.

"Guau!" Alice yelled as her eyes snapped open. "You must be joking! Don't tell me that the amazing yellow Porsche is your car?"

"Well... yeah" Bella hidded her head among her shoulders as much as possible. "I'm not really into cars, but my publisher told me I should have one to be able to settle down here properly. I thought it was a rather awful argument,but I bought a car anyway. I just chose this one because I loved the color".

Alice jumped in, softly caressing the wheel before Bella placed her hand on it and turned the engine on.

"Ok, just tell me where to go" Bella stated smiling fondly at Alice.

Minutes after that, they were parking in front of the cafe. Alice was feeling little anxious about the chat, while Bella was more and more relaxed as every minute passed in the friendly company.

They seated in a table next to the window and decided it was a nice moment to have a beer.

"Tell me Bella, where are you from?" Alice began just after the waitress left them to get the beer.

"I was born in Phoenix, but I lived the last years in Forks, which is a little town in Washington State", she replied.

"Was it nice?"

"No, I hated it" Bella found herself again being way too chatty and honest. "It was always wet, and rainy. And the sun would never come across the clouds...It was actually very suitable for my mood back then" She told the last sentence in a low voice, almost regretting having said so.

For a moment, she was sure Alice would make a question regarding the last statement, but she didn't. Instead she asked where she was residing at the moment.

"I have an apartment not too far from here" Bella said, colour rushing to her cheeks.

"Are you renting?" Alice commented absentmindly, while taking a sip of beer through her full lips.

"Mmmm. No" Bella was more blushed than before. "I kind of own it".

Alice almost choked with the drink.

"As I told you, my publisher thought it would be good for me to have some place for my own. As a way to feel more stable, you could say. Not that I care much about material things..." Bella was truly ashamed.

"Ok. You must be really big as a writter to be able to have all of this at your age!" Alice seemed more amused than impressed. Bella was beggining to like her even more at the minutes went by.

They talked about their lives facts for a while, changing from likings, to movies, to books, and so on.

Finally, as the beer had gone empty, Bella found Alice watching at her clock.

"It's late. I can drive you home if you want. Although, you never told me where you live and with whom" Bella smiled a little to her newest friend.

"I live in a house close to college. I live with my whole family" Alice said while shrugging her shoulders.

"_Whole_ family? How many people are in your family" Bella almost laugh out loud to the comment.

"A lot!" Alice giggled a little. "We all moved here last month. You see, we can't stand being away from each other. It's a rather long and twisted story".

"I have a lot of time" Bella replied feeling not only amused, but actually curious at Alice's saying.

For the first time in her latest life, Bella was hoping someone would stay with her a little longer. Alice by sure had a particular effect on her.

"Ok, let's make a deal" Alice began. "I will tell you my family story, as weird as it is. I will also answer your questions, if there's any. Which I believe it will be..." Bella nodded, but her tiny friend was not over. "Although, since we are getting into personal ground, you will have to answer some of mine too. I have been really polite until now, because I see you are not a very open person. But you will have to trust me. It's that ok?"

Bella only had one condition. "I'm not talking about my writting identity. That's something I keep for myself"

Alice agreed. "That's fine by me. You are gonna tell me someday, you know? I already know you will". Bella smiled to her.

Alice then picked the phone from her pocket, and, before dialing, she said: "I'm going to call home to let them know that I'm staying with you for dinner and that I will be late".

"You really have a close relationship with you family, right?" was Bella comment.

"You will understand it as I explain it to you" Alice let out a little smile, which became even bigger as she heard the voice in the other side of the line.

"Hi Jazz" she greeted. "I'm fine. I'm with a friend at a cafe. I just wanted you to tell mom that I will be back after dinner. Ok?"

Bella thought that probably "Jazz" was her brother.

But then she heard Alice's voice get softer as she stated: "I love you too, honey. See you at home"

_Well, surely that's not the way you talk to a brother_, Bella thought.

Alice found the confussion in Bella's eyes. "I told you it was a complicated story".

"I like complicated" Bella answered. "I have been surrounded by complications since forever".

Alice took a deep breath and began telling her the story of her life.

"Well, I hope you are really opened minded, because my story is really something unusual" She combed her pointy hair nervously with her right hand. "I live with my parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen. They are not my biological parents, but I fell them as so" Bella looked deeply to her eyes, letting her smile fall from her mouth as the story began.

"I'm adopted" Alice pointed. "We all are. Me, and my four siblings" She took a moment then to see Bella's reaction, but as she saw nothing, she continued.

"I have been a foster kid since I can remember. I have no memory of my biological parents. So I have been to many foster homes, in many different places. I was fifteen when Carlisle and Esme found me. They are excepcional people. The best I have known" It was nothing but deeply love and admiration in Alice's voice.

She continued without looking at Bella, letting her eyes wander to some moment distant in her past. "Esme and Carlisle can't have kids of their own. So they decided, since they had so much love to give, that they should adopt. At first, they thought it would be really great to find a baby to raise as their own. But as long as they went to the orphanage, they found that babies could easily found a home. Teenagers, in the other hand, were a different story"

Alice took her eyes back to Bella. There was no sadness in the way she was looking at her, only hope that she will be able to understand. "Teenagers are difficult. They have been wonded and broken for too long, if they never had a family of their own. So, Carlisle and Esme realized that, if they trully wanted their love to make a difference, they should take someone really worthy to try. They meet a lot of teenagers along the way, trying to decide which one to adopt. It was really hard, because they were so many. And they all needed to be loved"

Bella found then a smile forming in Alice's lips. "And then it happened. Esme was walking throught the orphanage halls, when she heard the sound of a piano. She walked to the sound, and she found a boy playing the instrument in such a touching way, that she was weeping when he finished. He then looked up at her, and Esme asked for his name. It was Edward. He was only fourteen back then. Esme asked Carlisle to adopt him right then, although the people in the orphanage told them he was a little "difficult". But my parents took him anyway, and he has been with him since then".

Her smile was even stronger, and Bella thought that Alice was really fond of her oldest brother.

"Rosalie came next" Alice sayed. "Carlisle met her at the hospital. She came in from a home where she had been taken. She was an orphan too, recently adopted. But she had had a terrible fight with another child in the house she had just arrived, and as a result she had deep wound in her head. Carlisle healed her, but when he found out she was heading back to the orphanage, he decided to take her to her house. She was sixteen".

Bella was beggining to think that Carlisle and Esme could be nothing but fictional characters. There was no way someone like that could be real.

"Emmet was adopted then. Carlisle and Esme thought it was time to make the family grow. Emmet was seventeent then, and he has always looked like a giant bear. That's the thing Esme loves the most of him, that he is so huge, but so loving at the same time".

Here Alice took another deep breath and began to move her hands nervously. "Well, the truth is that Emmet and Rosalie found each other thinking about themselves in a different way than brother and sister, not to much later". Bella opened her eyes a little, beggining to understand what "complicated" meant for Alice.

"I told you" Alice said, but she continued anyway. "Esme and Carlisle took it as something natural. They are so understanding. And Rosalie and Emmet have proved to be worthy of the trust, because they have been together since then. They are inseparable" Alice laughed a little, remembering some stuff about Emmet and Rosalie's bond that she could not tell Bella if she wanted her to stay.

"A year later, Carlisle and Esme decided that Rosalie should have a sister, as Edward and Emmet were bonding perfectly. So, they went to the orphanage and found me. Esme told me that they saw me in the front garden as they walked in. I was dancing bare footed in the grass while listening to my I-pod" She laughed looking again at Bella, who was smiling fondly to her friend. The story surely sounded a lot like Alice.

"They meet me later that day and asked me if I wanted to go home with them. I swearyou I wanted it so much! But I told them that I couldn't".

The tiny girl seemed to get bigger in her seat as Bella looked, more secure and mature than ever, looking resolute as she continued.

"You see, I was in love. It was not a teenager crush, but real and deep love. His name was Jasper, and he was a recent adquisition of the orphanage. We fell for each other almost inmediatly. He was dark and really broken, and I was as I am now: always cheerfull, always happy, even in that circunstances. Opposites attract each other. We seemed to be a perfect balance. I knew instantly he was the one, in the way I always know stuffs". Love filled Alice's voice and eyes. It was a kind of love that Bella could understand, although she had experienced it only in dreams. But to see it written so fiercely in Alice's look filled her chest with hope: hope that some day she would be able to feel the same.

"So, I told Esme and Carlisle that I couldn`t leave Jasper and headed for my room" Alice continued.

She smiled in a way that was heartbroking, but in a good way. "Later that evening a social worker came to me and told me to pack, for I was heading to the Cullen house. I was confused, but then he told me that they had adopted Jasper as well as me. And without even meet him!"

Alice looked back into Bella's eyes, her look so full of happiness it was almost contagious. "So that's my story. I know how it sound, like we are a group of perverts living together. But we fondly loved each other, and for us this strange and irregular family is the most important thing in the world".

Alice continued while her smile keeped growing in her face. "That's why we refuse to stay away. It's not been too long since we found each other, so we are still enjoying every moment we spent together"

Alice looked at Bella and asked: "It's too weird?" Hope was crawling in her eyes.

"No, it's not" Bella replied. "I think it's a really beautiful story, by the way"

Alice laughed, letting this sound grow as a chorus of bells.

"You could say that our family has been like a beckon in the darkness for all of us" Alice finished.

Bella found herself shuddering as she heard her own words coming out of Alice's lips.


	4. Chapter 3: A simple gesture

**I haven't received many reviews, but still I know there must be a lot of mistakes in my writing. So I would appreciate some help.**

**Thanks to everyone that has been reading it!!**

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Chapter 3: A simple gesture

"It's your turn now" Alice said as the waitress left their order on the table.

Bella moved nervously in her chair, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"I told you my peculiar story. You promised..." Alice reminded her.

"Well, there's not mucho to say..." Bella began.

Alice leant over the table as expecting, showing great patience at Bella's reluctance. She was beginning to believe that Bella would never start, when she heard her low voice coming as in a whisper.

"I was born in Phoenix. I was an only child. My parents died in a car accident when I was fifteen, so I was forced to live with my aunt Margaret in Forks. She was fine, but we never got along too well. And I hated Forks deeply, as I told you".

Bella breathed and continue. "At sixteen I wrote my first book, and sent it to a literature contest. The book did not only win, but was also acquired by a large publishing company. So by seventeen my book was an international best seller and I found myself being rich and employed. I got another two book published since then. But this year I decided I wanted to continue my education. So, here I am".

Bella finished almost relieved, as she had been able to tell as much as possible without including anything about her dark moments back then. She was used to keep that away. She had never told about the truth of those years to any soul.

Bella wasn't looking at Alice, her look was fixed at the untouched plate of food in front of her, which seemed more secure than Alice's eyes. But then she felt Alice moving, and saw how her petite hand was sliding through the table until her slim fingers where intertwined with hers.

"I am here for you as much as you need me" Alice said softly. "You heard my story. You know that I will be able to understand anything you have to say"

Bella heard that Alice was saying something, but she wasn't really listening. Her eyes were fixed at the image of both their hand sealed together. As simple as the gesture was, for Bella seemed to be the most tender and sweet of all. She felt a single drop of salty tear dropping from the corner of her right eye, as her interior began to crumble and fall apart.

Her masquerade, long along built and hold for years, was shattered into millions of tiny pieces as she felt the warm of Alice's hand spreading into hers.

And then Bella let her heart be unlocked, and everything got away in a rushed and almost incoherent confession.

Bella told Alice about the darkness and about the void. About the loneliness and about the feelings of being different, unwanted, unloved and never understood.

She told her new friend about the useless attempt to escape reality through fantasy, and books, and isolation.

She confessed about her nightmares, the endless nights with no rest, and the long days walking the world as a ghost.

And as she kept on going, words coming out of her mouth like a waterfall following non particular logic, Bella began to realize she was experiencing another lifetime transformation.

As her story reached the present, Bella began to calm down, slowing the rhythm of her voice and allowing herself to finally look into Alice's eyes.

There was no pity in Alice's look, but only understanding and something else Bella couldn't identify. Was it some kind of love? She wasn't sure, because she hadn't seen it in a very long time.

Alice squeezed her hand gently, and gave Bella a napkin to clean her eyes.

"I am going to be your friend as much as you want me to" Alice declared. "In fact, we are gonna be each other best friends".

She seemed very sure, but Bella didn't want to feed any hope.

"How can you know that?"

"Well, you see, I happen to have a weird gift" Alice said mysteriously. "I can see things. Actually, I can feel thing. It's not like I can see the future, but sometimes I have these strong feeling that tells me that something is gonna happen. And I had it when I saw you at class. I knew you were special. Now I know why: you are going to become my best friend".

Bella smiled a little, knowing there was nothing she could say that would change Alice's mind. And that was ok, because she really wanted Alice's vision to become true. She found herself liking this tiny girl in a way she never thought possible to like another human being again since her parents died. And that felt incredibly good.


	5. Chapter 4: Never to bet against Alice

Chapter 4: Never to bet against Alice

After they ate dinner and talked a little more about each other, they went back to the car to get Alice back home.

As they drove, they remained in a comfortable silence. Alice continued to look at Bella every once in a while smiling, happy with the progress made. Steps ahead would not be easy. Bella was not easy. And above all, she was not used to friendship, to have someone who cared. But that didn't bother Alice, because she _knew._ And she was willing to walk as slowly as needed.

Hands at the wheel, Bella was thinking about the moment they had just spent together. She could not believe she had told Alice what she had. But, never the less, she felt more at ease now that she ever had. This was her first chance to have a friend, someone in her life with whom to share. Someone real; flesh and blood. Not a creature or a character out of a book.

Alice made then a graceful movement with her hand arranging her hair. The movement almost felt magical to Bella. And she couldn't keep herself from thinking that Alice looked a lot like a fantasy creature.

"You remind me a lot of a character in my book" Bella said, eyes on the road while talking.

"Really?" Alice seemed amused by the idea.

"Yes" Bella looked at her while thinking it further. "I just realized. You remind me of my lead character's best friend. Not only do you look like I imagined her, but you also sound like her. Even the way you move, like if you were always dancing, suits her"

Alice laughed loudly at the last comment. "So tell me. You lead character, is she based on you?"

"Yes, kind of. Same flaws, but some improvements as well" Bella said.

"So, you are telling me that I resemble you of the best friend you imagined for yourself?" Alice looked like she was considering the implications of this discovery. "That has to be good! It's quite a sign!"

Both laughed together at Alice's remark.

"Yes, I guess it is" Bella said. "If you had come to the movie audition, you would have got the part. Now that I see you, no one else could have captured it better than you".

"Hold on a minute!" Alice put both of her hands in front of herself. "A movie? They are making a movie based on your book?"

Bella nodded feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks. She looked ahead as Alice pointed her to turn in a tight road almost hidden in the woods.

"You are so gonna tell me about that someday!" Alice yelled as Bella parked in front of her house. "You don't have to tell me about you identity. But I want to know how you changed your life so you ended up here, talking to me, being a succesful and independent woman, who happens to have written a book soon to become a movie!".

Bella smiled at her. Perhaps some day, she thought. Then she stopped. She was really thinking of telling someone about her big secret?

Alice was talking again. "I'll see you tomorrow at college, ok?".

Bella nodded.

"Great!" Alice always seemed to be overexcited about everything, even the simplest things. "Maybe we can do this some other time".

"That would be really nice" Bella replied as Alice got out of the car. They waved each other goodbyes, and Bella took off.

Alice watched until she was out of sight and got into the house. While placing her keys in the table by the door, she saw that Esme, Carlisle and Emmet were at the living room watching TV.

"How was your day, honey?" Esme asked in her sweetest tone.

"Wonderful!" Alice replied. Then looked around and yelled: "I'm home, Jazz!"

Seconds later, Jasper emerged from the kitchen and hurried to her side. He placed a soft kiss in her lips and took a long and deep look into her sparkling eyes.

"Did you have fun?" He asked not taking her eyes away of hers, gazing in that way he always did to show he had missed her.

"Yes, actually" Alice replied smiling to his eyes. "I met a lot of people"

"That's not news coming from you" Edward stated as he walked out of the kitchen as well. Alice stuck out her tongue at him.

"And I also met this girl Bella. I think she is really special" Alice added.

"Not a surprise either" Edward replied. Alice eyes looked at him with almost murdorous intentions. She loved Edward, but sometimes it was hard not to try to kill him.

"Ignore him" Jasper whispered in her ear, sending tickles over her shoulder.

"Tell us, Alice" Esme came from the living room. "What's special about this girl?"

"Well, Bella is kind of weird" Alice began trying to find the right words. "She doesn't talk much and also doesn't like people. Kind of isolated type of girl. When I got to the classroom everyone was talking to each other, except for her. She was drawing in her notepad. I believe she was trying to be unnoticed".

"That doesn't sound like someone you would find interesting" Carlisle said from the couch.

"Yes, I know" Alice looked into Carlisle eyes. "But at the same time she is rather unique. She is a loner, with no family. And yet, she managed to be this incredible confident, independent and mature woman. She is very inteligent and wise. She reads a lot, knows about movies, and music and history. I think you would all like her".

At that moment Rosalie came down the stairs and the chat became a family meeting. They were used to this happening often. They enjoyed sharing with each other.

"Who are we gonna like?" Rosalie asked.

"My new friend Bella" Alice replied. "She is a famous writter, you know?" She added the last thing as trying to emphasize why she thought Bella was so special.

"Famous?" Edward seemed interested all of a sudden.

"Yeah, but she publishes under a pen name" Alice confessed.

"Why?" asked Rosalie.

"Aparently, she was only seventeen when her first book became a best seller, so she tryed to remain anonymus in order to have a normal teenager life" Alice shrunk her shoulders.

"She could be lying to you..." Rosalie stated.

"No, no!" Alice felt a little offended. "I bet it's true. It was actually really hard to get her to confess this. And I also assure you she is very wealthy thanks to that. You should see the car she drives! But at the same time she is very simple".

Nobody said anything this time. They all remain in silence smiling gently.

"I think she is gonna be my best friend" Alice added and then took a look to all the faces around to make sure no one was laughing. But again, they knew each other too well to go against Alice strange premonitions.

Alice grabbed Jasper by his arm and led him to the kitchen. She was preparing herself a tea when she felt Jasper's arms wrapping around her waist, and his mouth softly kissing her neck.

"You believe me, right?" She asked him.

"Of course I do. We all do. You will never see us bet against you" Jasper replied.

Alice turned around in this ballerina style of her, until her face was inches away from Jasper's. "She is gonna be my best friend. I _know_ it" Alice declared. "And I also know that she is gonna be something important for this family. Just that I'm not quite sure how yet". She beggan to drift away in her thoughts, but before she could go far, Jasper's lips were on hers and she forgot about the world around.


	6. Chapter 5: Out of the cage

**Hey! I know I'm not updating very often. Sorry, a lot of work and study. But I'm goingo to try to do it more often.**

**You should understand that I have to check every chapter a lot of times since writing in English is not familiar to me. I hope I'm doing it right. **

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Chapter 5: Out of the cage

Bella was driving home while considering the events of the afternoon as she left behind the woods and entered town. Being alone again, as usual, she began to miss the presence of Alice in the car. Everything seemed too quiet now that she was no longer present. And Bella thought it was odd and unexpected to be feeling like this, to be missing someone she had just met when she had expended the last seven years avoiding people as much as possible.

But again, Alice was not just "people". There was something about her, something different and yet comforting and familiar. Something almost magical and strong enough to get Bella out of the cage she had forged for herself so long ago. And even though it felt vulnerable being outside, it was also thrilling and exciting… And real.

That's what Alice was among everything else: she was real. And she was like a breeze of fresh air coming through a window long ago sealed. Bella felt like life had just slapped her in the face, but in a good way, as if it was trying to tell her to wake up now.

Alice was that. She was a refreshing wind of life bringing her back to the real world. But the most important thing of all: Alice was her friend. Her first friend in what seemed to be a lifetime.

As she parked her car in the garage and got up the four floors to her apartment, Bella couldn't keep herself of thinking about this, about the effect a simple and friendly chat had just had on her. It was amazing, and overwhelming, and _nice_.

As she got through the door and threw away her bag, Bella ran to her office. She flung the door open and contemplated the mess she called "her place". Her office was her working environment, and also a sacred location. In there, Bella had everything that meant something to her. Things she had that reminded her of her parents, her drawing, her notes, her notebook, her inspiration. This room, which had just travelled from Forks in many boxes, was the only place in the world Bella could call "home".

She got to the desk and started searching among the piles of drawing she had not yet hung from the walls. After some seconds Bella found the one she was looking for. It was the picture of one of her book characters, the one that resembled her of Alice. She stared at it for a little while, focusing in the amazing similarities. The giggling brown eyes, the pointed chocolate hair, the petite figure, even the pointy chin.

Bella let the drawing over the pile as she turned the notebook on, and while waiting she let her mind wander again. She began thinking of all the years of being alone and isolated.

Bella had left her Aunt Margaret house as she turned eighteen, but kept in touch. Not a very frequent touch, but still she called Margaret once a month. Mostly it was to keep her secret identity safe, for Margaret had been her tutor when the book got out so she was aware of it.

Bella had moved then to an apartment of her own, but had kept the appearances renting it at reasonable price. She didn't want anyone to know she was rich now.

For all those years she had spent in Forks, she had made an effort not to get in contact with anyone. It was not that she didn't try in the past. She just didn't like other people, so it was healthier and safest to stay away.

Her publisher, Caroline, was the only constant person in her life now. Caroline had always been gentle and caring, although not in an affectionate way. The truth was that Bella was a golden mine for the company and for Caroline itself. And you have to take care of your investments. Bella was ok with that. Caroline had always proved to be practical in helping and solving her problems and needs, never getting in the way of her life. And that suited Bella.

Now that she had moved here, Caroline was more often in touch with her. Actually, the publishing company was located here, so it was easiest for work related issues.

Caroline had been insisting for long that Bella should get public, and finish the anonymous thing. The movie premier would be a great time, she had said. And to celebrate that, they would publish her new book under her real name, along with a new edition of the other three. Obviously, they were pondering the economical benefits that would deliver them.

Just as if she had read her mind, an email from Caroline got in as the computer finally started.

"Hi Bella. How was your first day? Need anything? It would be nice from you to come by the office to visit me anytime soon. Looking forward to hear from you. Regards. Caroline"

Bella smiled a little. Caroline was perfectly polite and helpful all the time, but never in an annoying way. The publishing company could have never found someone better to deal with a person as peculiar as Bella.

She pressed Reply and started typing the answer.

"Hi Caroline. Everything went fantastic. I'm ok. I will come by the office soon, I promise. You would be glad to know I'm fully working in the book right now. Regards. Bella"

She smiled and opened the book file from the archives. The cursor twinkled in the blank page.

The truth was that she had been unable to write anything since she had finished the third book. She had no idea how to go next. This was the final book of the series, and she was so fond of the characters and the story, she didn't want to give them anything but the perfect ending. And she couldn't forget the fans either. They would kill her if the book didn't suit their expectations.

But now, just tonight, she found herself willing to begin. She was still not sure where the path will lead her, but inspiration was coming to her in warm waves. And for the first time it didn't come in the morning after a pleasant dream. It had come from reality itself.

Bella looked at the drawing of her fictional "Alice" and began typing the book title: "Breaking Down".

**Please review!! I need any help I can get**


	7. Chapter 6: Ballet and bonding

**Ok, two full chapters in one day. I'm writing chapter 15 now, so I will be able to update as soon as I can recheck every one.**

**Hope you enjoy it! Review!!**

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Chapter 6: Ballet and bonding

Bella woke up late next day. She had been working in her writing until almost two in the morning. It was hard to break the inspirational flow now that it had come.

Finally, she decided it was time to leave it. It was the best. Although she had been able to write some chapters thanks to Alice's inspiration, the truth was that she still wasn't sure where this story was heading, so it was better just to wait. As she knew herself and her way of writing, also knew that ideas would come up unexpectedly at the most incoherent moment.

As late sun lights hit her face, Bella woke up from her dream. She had, of course, been dreaming of him. And that was always pleasant.

Bella walked to the kitchen to make herself a large coffee and headed to her office. She was going to star writing again. Or at least, trying. She felt the urgent need to start making her diagrams and drawings, in order to give the book some order and logic, to anticipate and plan where things where going to take her characters.

That was her way of working. First, everything should be neatly planned and properly outlined. Then it came the writing. Has always been the easiest and organized way of getting her ideas where she wanted them to go.

Just that this time Bella was finding that planning everything was going nowhere.

Her phone started vibrated. _Caroline by sure_, Bella thought before picking it up from the desk. But instead she read "Alice" on the screen.

"Hi Alice" she greeted.

"_Hi Bella__"_. Bella found a smile at Alice's high-pitched voice. _"Are you up already?"_

"Yeah. Actually I was just having a coffee and heading to work a little at my computer".

"_Ok. I won't bother you much then. I was just wondering if you would like to meet me for lunch. I have classes afterward, so we could have something at the cafeteria by the campus. What do you say?"_

"Sure Alice. Sounds good. Meet you there by midday?"

"_Deal! See you!"_ And with that cheerful scream Alice said goodbye.

Bella got back to the coffee and to the blank notepad she had in front of her. After an hour of drawing and erasing everything all over again, she decided to quit and get a bath before heading to campus.

She was eager to see Alice. Bella couldn't believe she had just called her again and asked to have lunch together. By night Bella had began to think that maybe Alice wouldn't want to see her again. That would have been logical, considering that Bella was nothing interesting while Alice was by sure the most popular and happy person she had ever met.

But again Alice surprised her by calling first hour in the morning like if she was an old friend.

Soon Alice and Bella were having lunch and chatting about nonsense, like any other normal girlfriends would do. It was hard to imagine, to someone elses eyes, that they had just met last night. They looked like lifetime acquaintances.

Finally, Alice took a glance at her watch and said it was time to go to class.

"Before I go, I was hoping to make you and invitation" She was lifting her tiny figure up from the chair. "Esme gave me two tickets for a ballet presentation that is going to be on town this Friday. Jasper hates ballet, so I thought you may want to come with me. If you like, of course".

"Sure, it would be nice" Bella replied. She was willing to accept any offer Alice would do, just to spend more time with her.

"Great!" Alice yelled as she grabbed her backpack. "Do you have any idea what you will be wearing?"

"Wearing?" Bella seemed confused. "I don't know. I will find something, I guess"

"Oh God!" Alice was sitting again in front of Bella with worryed eyes. "You need help with that? I can help you. Clothes, hair, makeup..."

"Makeup? Hair?" Bella was starting to get really concerned by now. "Ok, I guess I will need some help..."

"Fine. I will come by your place early so I can get you into a decent outfit, and matching hair and makeup. It's going to be fun!" And with that, Alice took off to class.

Bella just remained in her sit thinking about what she had just agreed to. And she was beginning to believe this may not have been a good idea.

Days until Friday were slow in Bella's life. She had not really been able to spend time with Alice since last Tuesday. They had met each other in class and hallways, and they had talked on the phone several times since then, but Bella was really missing the fact of having someone real around herself. She was starting to feel alone again.

Bella had tryed to work on the book, but things were going as slowly as her days. She had had a few ideas on how to begin it after she had met Alice. She had even written a couple of chapters. But now Bella was stuck again. She didn't know where the story was heading, what would be the end, and how to get there. So she had just spent her days sitting in front of the notebook staring into the screen hoping for ideas to pop up. Yet nothing happened.

Finally, Friday arrived. Bella spent all day in her department trying to work, but achiving nothing.

Two hours before the ballet presentation, her doorbell rang. _It can't be Alice. Not this early_, Bella thought. But when she went to the door, there was Alice, all tiny and beautiful smiling at her. Behind her there was this gorgeous young blonde man looking at her throught his brown eyes.

"Hi Bella!" Alice greeted. "This is Jasper, my boyfriend"

"Nice to finally meet you!" He said smiling.

"Nice to meet you too" Bella replied shaking his hand. "Do you want to come in?".

"Oh, no!" Jasper answered. "I'm heading back home. Alice thought I should get to see you and I agreeded with her. She has been talking so much about you!"

"Really?" Bella asked.

"Really" Jasper said giving Alice a great smile and a deep look into her eyes. "So, have fun girls. I'm going to spend night with my brothers at home. See you!"

And with that said, Jasper was out and Alice and Bella were alone in the doorway.

"Can I come in?" Alice asked Bella.

"Sure!" Bella moved herself from the doorframe to let her friend in.

Alice mouth drop at the sight of Bella's apartment. She was standing at a huge living room, decorated completelly in black and white furnitures. Everything was exquisite. From the black leather couches to the modern paintings in the walls. But yet, it was settled in a way that reminded that someone actually lived in there, that it was not a magazine photograph.

"This place is incredible Bella!" Alice said as she walked into the place.

"Thank you" Bella replied. "My publisher decorated it. I'm not really into those details"

Bella showed Alice the kitchen and then they headed to Bella's bedroom at the end of the hall. As they walked, Alice stopped in front of a closed door.

"What's in here?"She asked grabbing the door handle.

"Don't get in there!" Bella yelled almost in panic.

Alice shuddered and took a hesitant step away. Bella was all of a sudden hit by the obvious pain in Alice's eyes.

"I'm sorry" she said, not knowing what else to say. "That's my office, where I work. But the truth is that it's more than a working place. It's _my_ place, my sacred shelter. Everything that means something to me is in there. It's the only Home I know. A wandering home, but still my home"

Alice was looking at her as if she was trying to understand.

"I know it's strange. In that tiny place I keep all the things that remind me of my parents, along with the drawings and notes, and everything that means inspiration to me. Who I am, the real me and my secret identity, are held there. I hope you can understand that no one has ever set a foot on that room ever"

Alice looked into Bella's eyes for what seemed to Bella like hours. Finally, she took a few steps and placed her little hand on Bella's arm.

"It's ok. I get it" She smiled fondly at her. "Let's get to you room and figure out together what you are going to wear tonight".

And with that said, the awkward moment was over and they were both soon laughing as they began a search into Bella's wardrobe.

Soon Alice picked up a black dress and matching high-heeled stilettos, but took her at least fifteen minutes to convince Bella to wear those. After accomplishing this, Alice began to work on Bella's hair and makeup.

Almost an hour and a half latter, Alice considered her job was over. And she looked at herself at the mirror; Bella had to admit that her friend was really talented for makeover sessions. Her chocolate hair, always a mess, was now falling in silky curls over her shoulders and Alice had made wonder with the colour on her eyes and cheeks. Bella could hardly recognize herself in the image the mirror was showing.

"I have to confess that I'm really impressed" Bella said. "You are great at this fashion stuff Alice!"

Alice gave her a full hearted smile.

"But I still hate this dress and I truly believe I am gonna break my neck if I fall with these shoes!" Bella declared.

Alice laughed loudly and soon began to get ready herself. She put on a grey skirt and a black blouse, along with matching black shoes. She fixed her hair and made her makeup in just a couple of minutes. Bella was amazed. "You are really skilled, aren't you?"

Alice gave her a smug look and then dragged Bella by the hand to the door.

Ballet was nice and afterwards dinner was even better. Bella had managed not to kill herself while walking in high-heels and Alice was very proud of her.

They returned to Bella's department to wait for Jasper to pick up Alice. Bella made coffee for both of them, and they sat in the living room while waiting.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Bella" Alice said. "You should get your hair done and put on makeup more often"

"I don't think I will be able to put up with that on daily basis" Bella laughed.

"Ok. But you could still do something about your wardrobe. No offence, but it's really poor" Alice stated.

"I know" Bella replied thinking for a while. "You could help me with that, right?" She regretted about saying that in the same moment the words left her mouth.

"Sure!" Alice almost jumped out of the couch. "I'd love to! We should organize a shopping excursion. What about tomorrow?"

"I guess tomorrow is just as good as any other day…" Bella was no very convinced, but it will give her a chance to spend more time with her new friend.

"Great! I will ask Rosalie to come too. I think you will like each other" Alice was almost hysterical with happiness.

"You think that's a good idea?" Bella asked. "You know me Alice. I'm not really into people. And people don't like me either. It's the story of my life".

"I know. But I truly believe you and Rose will get along" Alice smiled at her.

"How can you be so sure?" Bella was still doubtful.

"Because Rose is kind of like you. She doesn't have many friends. People feel intimidated around her…" Alice left the sentence hanging in the air.

"Is she scary or what?"

"No, she's just a little stubborn, but otherwise she's really nice. The thing with Rosalie is that…" Alice took a moment to find the best words. "Well, the thing is that she is incredibly beautiful. Like a top model. That's why not many people like her. Envy, I guess".

Alice looked into Bella's eyes to find some kind of reaction, but as she found none, she carried on. "But you are not into that stupid superfluous stuff, Bella. That's why I think you wont feel intimidated by Rose, and that's why I think she is gonna like you. Trust me on this".

Bella nodded and smile, agreeing with the plan.

The door bell rang and Alice grabbed her stuff quickly. "Then, I will see you tomorrow after lunch". And with that she kissed Bella's cheek and ran to the door to met Jasper.

Bella went to the bathroom to get ready to bed, still thinking about the last conversation. So now she was about to have not only one, but possibly two friends. And everything in less than a week. Her world was truly upside down.


	8. Chapter 7: Rosalie

Chapter 7: Rosalie

Alice got to Bella's home just after two, and they waited in the front door for Rosalie to arrive.

Moments later, a large and monstrous jeep parked in front of them

"Emmet's car" Alice whisper in Bella's ears, giggling at the scared expression on her friend's face.

Soon a tall and slender blonde girl emerged from the passenger seat. She turned around and walked over to Bella and Alice.

"Bella, this is Rosalie" Alice made the introductions. "Rose, this is Bella"

Rosalie shook Bella's hand. "Nice to finally meet you. Alice has been talking a lot about you".

"Well I'm starting to believe that, since everybody is telling so" Bella joked looking at Alice.

"Should we get going?" Alice asked. "We don't have that much time"

"Ok" Bella surrendered to the situation. "I have my credit card on the purse, so I'm at your complete mercy".

Alice and Rosalie looked at each with anticipation. "Great" The blonde girl said. "Because now that I see you, I believe Alice was right. You really need help". And then they both grabbed Bella's hands and started walking.

As they headed to the mall, Bella was thinking that Alice had restrained herself a little while talking about Rosalie. She was not only incredibly beautiful; she was just the most splendid woman she had ever seen.

Rosalie blonde hairs fall like a cascade over her back, framing her deep blue eyes and the perfect features of her porcelain face. And the curves of her body would make any model envious. No wonder why people would feel intimidated by her. Even Bella, who was not used to think about physical beauty, was a little taken aback by Rosalie presence.

But as the day went on and Bella got a chance to get to know Rosalie, she felt more and more comfortable with her being around. Rosalie turned out to be really fun and outgoing. She had this strange way of telling the most unpredictable things and held nothing back. Some people would find it annoying, but for Bella it was a quality most persons lacked of.

Once they had bought half of the mall, and they could carry not one more bag, the three of them seated at a coffee store to make a break.

"This was quite an experience" Bella said as she held her cup. "You were both really helpful. Thanks for coming with me Rosalie"

"Please call me Rose" Rosalie replied. "If we are gonna be friends, we should cut the formalities".

"Are we going to be friends?" Bella was insecure about why this amazing woman would want her as a friend.

"Sure, why not?" Rose stated. "Alice was right when she said I would like you. You are simple and funny, but most of all you are smart and straightforward. Why would anyone not want to spend time with you?"

Bella almost felt like crying as Rosalie said the last sentence, but she held the tears in the back of her eyes. Here she was, sitting at a coffee in a mall, hanging out with not one, but two incredible and beautiful women who were claiming to be her friends. And the weirdest thing was that Bella was feeling amazingly at ease with them. Her world had surely become an odd place.

Rosalie was starting another round of girly chat right now and Bella paid attention.

"So tell me Bella" Rose was looking at her intensely. "Any man in your life now?"

Bella shook her head.

"Nothing? Not even a _good_ friend" Rosalie remarked the word "good" with a playful smile.

"Nope" Bella stated. "I'm not really into guys. Never been a lucky girl on that matter"

"But you had a boyfriend or something like that, right?" Now was Alice the curious one.

"Not really" Bella was starting to feel her cheeks on fire. "I have dated a couple of times, but it never worked for me. I'm kind of a loner. You know I'm not an outgoing person"

Rosalie and Alice looked at each other with scepticism.

"Never been in love?" Alice almost sounded sad as she asked.

"Well yes actually, profoundly. But it was mostly a platonic thing. Complicated to explain" Bella breathed deeply, as longing for some memory. "Truth is that he set all my basis of comparison and ruined love for me forever. No one can fulfil my expectations. So after a while, I stopped trying"

Rosalie and Alice stayed in silence for a while, processing the words, as Bella's eyes wandered to same place far away from that table. Rosalie decided to brake the awkward moment and bring Bella back to reality.

"So, we will have to work on that too" Rose said smiling at Alice. "This is more worrying that her wardrobe"

And as laugh caught them, the conversation drifted away to more pleasant issues and soon the evening was over.


	9. Chapter 8: Broken Memories

Chapter 8: Broken memories

Alice waited for Bella at college, sitting in the spots they had chosen the first day. She had e-mailed Bella on Sunday to tell her she was going out of town with Jasper for the evening, so she would be seeing her on class at Monday afternoon.

The professor finally arrived and everybody took their places. But it was still no news of Bella.

Alice picked up the phone from her bag and looked at it. No messages and no phone calls. She decided to take the initiative. Alice wrote a message to Bella: "What happened? You are not in class with me. I miss you. This is completely boring. Alice".

Moments later, Alice's phone vibrated on her leg. She opened it and found a new message from Bella. "Not a good day. I didn't feel like going to class. See you. Bella".

Alice closed her mobile and threw it back into the bag. She was a little upset about Bella not telling her what was going on, but yet again it was Bella's way. She was not used to have a friend and to share. Well Alice was going to change that. Step by step.

As class was over, Alice ran to the parking lot to find Jasper waiting for her at the car. "Hi sweetie" She said kissing his lips.

"Hi" Jasper replied. "So, are we going home?"

"Mmm" Alice was a little unsure on how to say what she was planning to.

"Spill it out" Jasper said with a smile.

_God! How I got lucky enough to find the most gorgeous and generous guy in the world, and make him love me?_ Alice though as she looked into Jasper's gentle eyes.

"I was thinking that maybe you could take me to Bella's house" Alice said almost in a whisper. "She didn't come to class today and said she was not having a good day. So I wanted to go check on her. Is that ok with you? I know you wanted to spend the night with me…"

Jasper smiled at her and sweetly kissed her forehead. "How can I ever deny something to you when you looked at me with those puppy eyes?" He replied as he started the car and took the way into town.

"You are the best Jasper" Alice squeezed his hand. "That's why I love you so much"

They looked into each other's eyes and smiled. "I have all my life to be with you" Jasper said.

They arrived to Bella's house within ten minutes. "I will call you if I need you to pick me up, ok?" Alice said as she waved him goodbye. Two seconds later she was at Bella's door.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked. Alice noticed her eyes were red and she had the most horrible expression she had ever seen on her face.

"I'm here to check on you, since you didn't tell me what was going on" Alice made her way into the apartment without waiting for Bella to ask her to come in.

Bella just looked at her with incredulous eyes. She was obviously too broken to argue.

"I know you are a loner. But I'm your friend now. Your best friend, by the way. And I'm not going to let you cry your eyes out alone" Alice took a step closer to Bella and wrapped her hand around hers. "I can always be a shoulder where you can sob and I also can be here to pass you tissues"

Bella smiled a little yet promising smile, and hugged Alice's tiny body tightly. She started weeping loudly and Alice took her carefully to the couch. They both sat down, not breaking the embrace, until Bella calmed herself down enough to form a coherent sentence.

"My parents' death anniversary" Bella whispered between her teeth, and began to cry again.

Alice held her for a long time, patting Bella's back affectionately. Finally Bella's weep stopped and she took herself out of the embrace to look into Alice's eyes.

"Thank you" Bella said. "I feel a little embarrass by this situation"

"Well, you shouldn't be. I'm your friend. I'm here to support you in good and bad times. Don't forget that" Alice smiled at Bella. "And I certainly hope you will be there for me too".

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, rejoicing in both their smiles. Alice broke the glance and lifted herself off the couch.

"So now I'm going to head to the kitchen to make tea for both of us. And after that I'm going to call home to tell them I'm staying with you tonight"

"You don't have to do that Alice. I will be okay. I have been fine all these years without you, you know?" Bella said.

"I know. But now you don't have to. So, I'm staying".

Bella just nodded and smiled, pleased and almost happy to see Alice's little figure going her way to the kitchen with ballerina jumps.

They spent the rest of the night talking about lots of things. Mostly they remembered Bella's parents, and she got to tell Alice about her childhood and how wonderful life had been when she was with them.

Alice just kept looking at Bella with a smile, nodding and encouraging her to continue talking. She was feeling that the more time they spent together, the most they connected.

"We should go to bed. It's kind of late. And now I feel like I can sleep" Bella said lifting herself from the couch and heading to her bedroom. Soon she realized Alice wasn't following her. She stared back at her friend, and found Alice still sat, watching at her hands nervously.

"What's wrong Alice?" Bella asked walking back over to her friend.

Alice took her eyes up to meet Bella's. "Well, you know about this gift of mine…"

Alice had stopped. "Yeah…" Bella urged her to continue with a smile.

"Ok. So I know you are going to tell me tonight. And since I already _know_ it, I thought we could get right to the point instead of waiting until the issue comes up".

Alice lifted her eyes and stared at Bella, waiting to find any reaction on her face. She was afraid she had just ruined her chance, but then Bella smiled cheerfully and got Alice's hand.

"I'm not going to tell you" She said as she pulled her friend off the couch. "I'm going to show you".

And with that, she led Alice to her office door. Alice looked back at her with a doubtful expression. "Are you sure?" She asked.

As answer, Bella got her hand on the door handle and opened the door.

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**Pleaseeeeeeeeee, review!!! I promise I will be updating soon.**


	10. Chapter 9: Revelations

Chapter 9: Revelations

Bella looked as Alice took a step inside and drew her gaze around the place. Incredibly, Bella was not uncomfortable seeing Alice's tiny figure standing in there, her sacred place, the one no one had ever laid eyes on. Alice just seemed to fit the scene. And Bella felt happy and complete to be able to share this with her.

Alice took a deep breath and looked around curiously. At first sight, Bella's office was no different from any other office, if not by the mess and the tons of papers spread on every surface. Even the walls were covered.

But it truly only took Alice a couple of seconds to find out the mystery that was consuming her. For as she looked to the poster hanging behind the desk, she knew it.

"Oh, my God" Alice almost yelled. "You are the vampire woman!".

Bella looked down to the floor as blood turned her cheeks red.

"Great Lord Bella! You are not only famous, you are huge!" Alice was extremely overwhelmed by the discovery.

She turned around and stared at her friend. "Your face is a worldwide mystery. I can't believe you managed to keep it a secret for so long".

Alice looked at Bella's embarrass face and soon she calmed herself down. She took both of Bella's hands into hers. "I feel honoured that you chose me to confess your secret, for I know you have never told this to anyone voluntarily. Nor have you ever shown this sacred place to anyone but me" Alice eyes were glowing when Bella met her gaze. "And I want you to know how much I admire you. Not now that I know who you are, but ever since I met you".

"Admire me? Why?" Bella was confused.

"Because you were able to get over the tragedy in your life and became what you are now" Alice simply said.

"You have a tragic story too, Alice" Bella reminded her.

"Yes, but I found Jasper. And I also found Carlisle, and Esme, and my siblings" Alice stated. "You, on the other hand, did everything alone. You grow up by yourself and became a successful, independent and smart woman. That's why I admire you so much". And then she got her little body up and hugged Bella tightly.

They remained like that for a moment, until Bella broke the embrace and asked, looking into Alice's eyes: "Want to take a look around?"

Alice stepped out of Bella's arm and took a look into the office. She started walking by the wall, contemplating the hanging paintings and pictures. She stood in front of a photograph. "Your parents?" She asked. Bella nodded. "You look a lot like your mother, only with you father's hair" Alice said and Bella smiled.

Alice kept walking until she found a large drawing in a frame hanging next to Bella's parents' picture. By its size and location, it was surely of great importance. It was the image of the back of a man, standing into a meadow, looking ahead into the woods.

"Who is he?" Alice asked and turned to Bella.

"Since I already started confessing, I guess I could go all the way" Bella said. "Although I warn you: it's long and complicated".

Alice smiled and replied: "We have all night".

Bella laughed nervously and began hesitantly. "Remember how I told you about my nightmares, my restless nights and how they went away one day?". Alice nodded. "Well, they just didn't go away. They were kind of replaced". Alice looked confused, so Bella decided to get to the point. "The truth is that I stopped having nightmares because I started dreaming about him" she completed the idea as she pointed to the drawing Alice was looking at.

"He visited me one night and he just stayed there, standing in front of me, staring deeply into my eyes. Nothing else. But when I finally woke up, I knew I had had a good night of rest for the first time in months" Bella took a gasp of air and continued.

"He came to me every single night since then" Alice eyes were wide now. "Every night for the last seven years. At first we would just stare at each other. But then we started walking in the forest, sometimes holding hands, sometimes not, but always keeping our eyes together"

Bella breathed dreamily at the memory and carried on. "One night I had a different dream. I was walking alone through the forest. It may sound creepy, but I was sure it was not a nightmare. I kept on walking until I reached a meadow. And there he was. Standing with his back at me, looking away to the woods ahead" Bella placed her hand on the drawing and caressed the image of the man with her finger. It was an unconscious gesture, yet Alice did not miss it.

"I didn't want to disturb him. He looked so focused. Until he finally turned around, looked at me and said my name. Oh Alice! I can't even begin to describe how amazing and sexy the sound of my name was in his mouth! His voice was like a chorus of violins singing in harmony. The most perfect thing I ever heard" Bella's eyes were now glowing in a way Alice had thought it was impossible.

"From then, we started to hang on the meadow, sitting next to each other. He sometimes whispers my name, but that's all he ever says. He holds my hands sometimes and we drew small patterns in each other skin. Sometimes he touches my face. I do not dare touching his, you know. I'm scared he would brake and disappear, just like the dream he is. And he surely is a vision Alice. Never in my life I could have thought that my imagination would be so creative to be able to figure out someone like him" There was only adoration in Bella's voice.

Alice jaw had dropped almost to the floor, so Bella smiled and closed her mouth with one finger. Alice gave her an embarrass laugh and made a movement with her hand indicating Bella to continue with the story.

"Most of the nights we only look into each other's eyes. Deeply, almost in a painful way. His green eyes are everything to me Alice. My world spins around them. Anything that matters is held in his glaze. I have a feeling that I do not need air when he looks at me. All I need to survive is written in those eyes" Bella stared dreamily into the void.

"Sometimes he would show things to me…" She said.

Alice found her voice to ask then. "What things?"

"Places, scenes, people. Mostly people. I don't know who they are. He never speaks of them. But they keep appearing. And as months went on after I started dreaming of him, these people became more and more present. Almost as if they were real. I began to discover that I knew them too well, even though he never talked about them and they didn't talk to me" Bella glanced back at Alice.

"You know how incoherent and illogical the mechanic of dreams is. I just know them. I know how they think, what they would say, how they would react to certain situations. I even know how they sound and how they smell. And as months went by I knew so much about them, they were so present in my life, that they became like family to me. The only family I got".

Bella looked back at Alice, hoping that she would not find this too creepy. But seeing nothing but interest in her friend's eyes, she continued. "After a while I started taking notes and drawing everything he would show me. A couple of months later, there was so many papers with information going around that I decided I should do something about that. I decided I wanted to give a story to my imaginary family"

Bella walked over to some other pictures hanging from the wall as she kept on going. "So I wrote the book. I created a love story for him and for me, and included all these people, places and scenes that populate my dreams. And, of course, I added a fantasy twist. But I never expected the reaction" She turned around and looked to Alice again.

"The success was unbelievable. Mi fans were filling the publishing company with letters and emails. Internet was full of fan webs and blogs commenting my book. It was crazy!" Bella smiled.

"They all seemed to have fallen in love with my characters. They say my characters can almost pop out of the pages. I guess that's because they are so real to me and I care so much for them, that I let that show in my writing" Bella smiled.

"But mostly the fans adore the love story between the main characters. They found it very touching. And I also have a theory about that. I think they can read in my words how deeply I love him, how important he is for me, how my world seems to spin around his figure".

Bella turn away from Alice, scared of what she could be thinking. She didn't want to see disbelief in Alice's eyes, and she still wanted to continue, to let everything out of her system. So Bella carried on, without looking at her friend.

"I know how it sounds. I fell in love with a dream. But what can I say? He is perfect, Alice. Not only physically. And he has been my only friend and confidant, the only one who understood me, until you came. And that's why I told you and Rosalie that he ruined love for me forever. Because I know I will never be able to love anyone else".

Finally Bella turned around and Alice saw a profound pain in her eyes. Bella was opening her heart to her, telling her the deepest secrets and feelings. And there was this pinch of hope in her glaze for Alice to understand.

So Alice did then what she did best: she smiled a giant and honest smile. "You are truly the most amazing woman I had ever known. Just when I think that I know you, you came up with a surprising revelation. You are fascinating".

Bella laughed relieved and Alice joined her. Soon the tension in the air was gone, and Bella took her friend hand and led her to the desk. "There's something I want to show you".


	11. Chapter 10: The set up of the plan

Chapter 10: The set up of the plan

Bella started searching through a pile of drawing, with Alice by her side, getting more and more curious by each second. Finally she got the one she was looking for, the one she had been watching the night she met Alice. She handled Alice the drawing, and waited for her reaction.

Soon Alice's mouth was dropped again and her eyes were also wide now. "He showed _me_ to you?" She asked confused.

"Yes, _you_ are the one that he shows most of the time. That's why I picked _you_ to be my character's best friend"

"But how? Why?" Alice was almost out of her mind.

"I don't know. He never says anything. But I have this strange feeling that this version of you is very important to him. I sense a strong feeling every time you appear, some kind of love. Not romantic, but a very affectionate one" She looked at Alice and continue. "I'm not making any sense, am I?"

Alice nodded and smiled. "It's just too fucking weird. She looks a lot like me, really. I guess you just got me off guard. I didn't expect this to be so fantastic".

Then Alice looked around over the walls, and finally asked. "Do you have any image of him? Of his face?"

"Yeah. It must be somewhere" Bella replied as she started searching the piles. She got a big painting out of the papers on the couch. She handled it to Alice.

And as Alice took the image and started watching at it, Bella saw she was getting pale and her all face was as in shock. "Alice, are you ok?" She asked, but her friend did not answer. "Alice! What's going on?" She yelled as she squeezed her tiny arms.

Alice seemed to come back from a trance. "Eh? Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. For a moment he just reminded me of someone…" She let the sentence in suspense for a moment. "But I think I am wrong. It cannot be" Alice dismissed the thought with a movement of her tiny hand.

Bella smiled not convince. Alice's face was still pale as she kept looking at the image with awkward eyes. She got the drawing out of Alice's hand and back to the desk, before saying: "I think there has been too many confessions for one night, don't you?". Alice nodded almost as a zombie. "We should get to bed" Bella finished. Alice nodded again, although this time with a small smile and some colour on her cheeks. And they both closed the office door and started walking to Bella's bedroom.

First time in the morning, Jasper came to pick up Alice. Bella hugged her at the doorway before heading back inside. "Thank you so much. You are the best, Alice" she said.

"I know" Alice replied and winked at her. There it was the cheerful Alice's spirit again.

They waved goodbye and Alice got on Jasper's car.

"Did everything go fine?" he asked.

"Yeah" Alice replied. "Could you do me a favour? Could you parked by a library? I need to buy a book Bella recommended to me"

"Sure, no problem" Jasper answered and he headed down the streets. As they parked Alice went out of the car, and returned a couple of minutes latter holding a bag.

"Let's go" she said.

As they drove back home, Alice was staring blankly outside the window. Her mind was spinning at an impossible rhythm, going through her options. She had set a goal last night as Bella slept, and she was willing to go all the way to achieve it. Alice _knew_ she had to. There was a lot in stake.

Jasper cut her thoughts as he said. "Esme organized a trip to the beach house this weekend. Are you on?"

Alice turned her head abruptly, looking into her boyfriend eyes with radiant happiness. She kissed his lips roughly.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"You just provided me the gold opportunity I was looking for!" Alice replied.

"Gold opportunity? Opportunity for what?" Jasper seemed really confused.

"I have a great story to tell you Jazz. But you will have to keep the secret and promise to help me" Alice said.

Jasper looked into the mischievous eyes of her girlfriend and just nodded.

And so Alice began talking.


	12. Chapter 11: Him

Chapter 11: Him

Alice called Bella next day. She was very excited about all the things that were going on on her mind, but she still tried to calm down as she talked to Bella. She didn't want her to get suspicious.

"Hi, Bells" she greeted as Bella answer the phone.

"Hi Alice. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you" Alice was hardly containing her hysterical laughter. "I need to talk to you"

"Ok, it's something wrong?" Bella asked

"No, not at all. I have an invitation for you" Alice giggled.

"Ok" Bella sounded really calm.

"My parents have a house by the beach and we are planning on going there this weekend. Would you like to come with us?" Alice was bouncing in her sit waiting for Bella to reply. But instead there was only silence on the other side of the line.

"Bella? Are you still there?" She asked.

More silence and then a tiny whisper: "Yes..."

"Are you ok? Did you fainted or somehing?" Alice was beginning to worry.

"No, I'm ok. It's just that you took me off guard" Bella replied

"So then, are you coming?" Alice couldn't wait any longer.

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Bella finally managed to say.

"What? Why?!" Alice was out of herserlf.

"Because your family will be there" Bella stated. "And I don't know most of them. It's a lot of people. And... What if they don't like me, Alice? What if I feel out of place like I usually do around others? I don't want to ruin your family weekend turning it into an awkward moment".

"I can't believe you just said that" Alice sounded pissed off from the other side. "You never make things easy for me"

Bella heard Alice breathing slowly, as if trying to calm herself down, and then there was her high-pitched voice again.

"Let me rephrase it" She began. "I'm not inviting you. I'm just warning you that I will be picking you up on Friday, so you can get your clothes ready"

"Please Alice..." Bella voice sounded on the edge of panic.

"And if you don't have your bag ready, you will be sorry. For I will drag you with me to the beach even if you have to be naked all weekend!"

Bella didn't reply. It was nothing else to say. She knew Alice too well by now.

"I think you understood it" Alice took Bella silence as a confimation.

"You really hate me, don't you?" Bella said softly.

"No, I really love you. That's why I'm doing this. You will understand in time". And with that Alice hung up, closing her mobile and fully smiling to Jasper.

Bella opened her door on Friday morning and Alice was there, looking all beautiful and shiny as she smiled at her.

"I can't believe you are doing this to me" Bella hissed and got her bag before closing her apartment door.

"I'm just doing you a favor. Trust me" Alice giggled and helped her into the car.

Jasper was on the driving seat. "Hi Bella. Nice to see you again. Ready for the sun and water?".

"You are into this too, along with her. I know. So I choose not to answer that question" Bella crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window. Jasper and Alice looked at each other and laughed.

The trip to the beach house was pleasant, even for Bella. As soon as Alice began to loudly sing along with the stereo, Bella had to drop her defenses and smiled. By the time they reached the house, she was hysterically laughing and thinking that Jasper was the funniest guy she had met. No wonder him and Alice were together, they belonged to each other.

They got out of the car and a couple came to welcomed them. Alice ran to hug the woman with the curly caramel hair. Beside her there was a handsome blonde man with a huge smile and tender eyes.

"Mom, Dad, this is Bella" Alice performed the introductions. "Bella, these are my parents Esme and Carlisle"

Bella shook their hands. "Nice to met you both" she said.

"Nice to meet you too. Alice has been talking a lot about you" they replied. Bella smiled shyly and looked over her shoulder to Alice. The tiny monstruos was laughing.

Esme and Carlisle seemed to be really nice. They smiled at Bella, and looked very comfortable with her being around. And Bella had the same feeling around them. It was oddly familiar, just as it had happened with Alice, Rosalie and Jasper.

They got to their bedrooms to drop the bags and get changed. "We are heading to the beach, so you should get your bikini on" Alice said.

Bella opened her suitcase and got the bikini Alice had bought for her during the shopping excursion. "I hate you so much" she said as she remembered how little skin this fabric could cover.

"Use the blue cotton dress too" Alice demanded. Bella gave her a twisted glaze. "I know you love me" Alice winked and ran downstais.

Bella obeyed and got on the bikini and the blue dress. She went down to find Alice and Jasper talking to Carlisle and Esme.

"Go ahead Bella!" She said. "We have a couple of things to talk to mom and dad. Rose and Emmet will be here soon. And my brother Edward is down by the sea".

Bella didn't feel too comfortable going to the beach by her own, but she didn't want to intrude the family conversation. So she started to walk down the stairs leading to the beach.

As her feets reached the warm sand, Bella looked over to the sea. The view was amazing. She had hardly been at the beach in her life, but as she let the sun get to her and the breeze blew her hair she couldn't remember why she hadn't come more often.

She took a couple of steps ahead and stopped abruptly as she realized she was not alone. There was someone else on the beach. And as she laid her eyes on the figure, she felt her heart rising and her throat closing. He was standing by the sea, with his back turn at her, looking at the horizon.

Bella started to choke, and felt that her fragile legs could not hold her for long.

And then the most incredible thing happened. He turned around, and set her never ending green eyes on hers, as he said. "Bella..."

And then everything collapsed, the floor disappeared, and Bella felt she was falling into darkness.


	13. Chapter 12: I dreamed about you

Chapter 12: I dreamed about you

As consciousness began to come back to her, Bella felt she was being held by two strong arms. Before she could even open her eyes, she sensed the softness of a silky hand caressing her check and a sweet and familiar scent filling her nostrils.

And then she heard that voice calling her again. "Bella..."

She didn't want to open her eyes. Bella was too scared to do so. She just wanted to fall into the black void again, so she wouldn't have to think, or to feel, or to smell. She just wanted to get away.

But as a soft finger ran down her cheek, she could not hold it any longer.

She lazily opened her eyes, and was received by the most gorgeous sight any woman could ever hope for. The bronze messed hair, the strong jaw line, the high checks, the full red lips, the pointy nose and the perfect body she had dreamed for years. And most of all, the endless green eyes that were her doom.

There he was. It was _him. _And he was real, palpable, and touchable. He was no longer a dream, her dream. She didn't think what she was doing as she reached out her hand and tenderly touched his face, just to make sure he was actually there.

"Hi there" he said with that voice that an angel would envy. "Are you okay?"

Bella took her hand out of his face as her mind began to work again. She was not yet able to talk, so she just nodded to him.

"You must be Bella. I'm Edward, Alice's brother" he said smiling at her in a way that almost stopped her heart at once.

"Bella! Bella!" she heard someone shouting. And the world around her reappered as she saw Alice running to her. She drew to her knees by her side, and looked at her with worried eyes. "I'm so sorry" Alice was almost babbling. "I should have known. I should have" she kept repiting.

Bella gave her a murderous stare. Alice knew. Alice had known all the way since she had seen Bella's drawing. She knew it was Edward, her own brother. And that's why she had almost kidnapped her to bring her to this trip.

"What should you have known?" Edward asked. Bella brought her eyes back to him, and all of a sudden her determination to kill Alice slipped away like sand between her fingers.

"Let me help you stand up" Alice said grabbing Bella's arm and avoiding Edward's question. Edward stopped her by holding Bella closer into his embrace.

"Don't Alice. She needs time to recover. She's still pale" He looked into Bella's eyes, which were fixed on his features. "You go with Jasper to the water. I will take care of Bella".

Alice took a glare at Bella, but her friend was not even looking at her anymore. In fact, she wasn't looking at anything besides Edward. And she then understood when Bella said that her world spinned around _his_ eyes. So Jasper and Alice kept walking to the water, and Rose and Emmet followed them after a second.

Once alone, Edward helped Bella to sit. He placed her over a blanket he had brought, and placed himself next to her, just looking again to the horizon.

But Bella's eyes could not wander any farther than his face. She was like hypnotized, like in a trance. And her heart was running like a wild horse. All those years, all those nights, all those memories. Her mind was a turbulent storm of feelings and sensations, as she could not process what was going on.

Dreams had found reality. And there, next to her, sitting in a simple blanket, was the man she had been dreaming about for seven years. Just like that. And it was not that Edward looked like _him_, he _was_ him. Bella could tell by the sound of his melodical voice, the softness of his hands, and the sweet scent of his skin. But mostly, she could tell by the deepness and intensity of his amazing green eyes; the ones she had memorized over the last detail for years.

She was still staring intently at him, when he turned around to her and said: "Are you okay? You have been looking at me like if I were a ghost for the last ten minutes"

Bella shocked her head trying to woke up, and felt the blood rushing to her face.

"I hadn't seen a woman blushed since I was a child" he smiled. "I think it's adorable"

And with that he got Bella's cheek to go to furious red, if possible.

"I'm sorry" Bella managed to said with a chocked voice. "I am still a little in shock"

"You will be fine in a moment. It was probably just the heat" Edward replied.

He thought she was talking about the faint, and she didn't correct him. She just took the opportunity to take another long look at him.

And then, there were his green eyes again.

"So, Alice told me you are a writter. Is that true?" he asked and smiled a croccked smile that almost got Bella to pass out again.

She gasped nervously. "Yes, I am." It was all she managed to say.

"I'm a doctor by the way" he said. Bella just nodded.

"Alice also told me you are a very talented artist" Edward looked again into her brown eyes, and she lost track of any coherent thought. "And also said you like music a lot. I am a musician, did she tell you?"

Bella finally found a little of her voice. "No, not really. We haven't talked much about her family. We have only known each other for two weeks"

"And yet she seems really enthusiastic about your friendship" Edward said.

"I know. She is really thrilled about it" She began to moved uncomfortably on the blanket. "But the truth is that I'm very excited about it too. There's been a long time since I had a real friend"

_Oh, My God. How did that came out of my mouth? How I'm telling this to him, who had just met me?_ Bella thought embarrass. And yet she realized that it was because it was _him_. As she had said to Alice, he had been her only friend and confident on her dark years. And so she found herself not able to content herself when talking to him.

"I see" Edward said. "So, how do you manage to put up with my sister every day?"

"The same way you do, I guess" Bella found a smile and looked back into his eyes.

"Not the same thing. She is my sister. I have no choice" Edward was almost laughing at the idea. "You, on the other hand, chose to be around her. I can't understand why".

"Probably because she is the most gentle and funny person I have ever met. Because she never judges me or thinks I'm weird. Because she likes me just the way I am, not trying to change me" Bella let the words got out of her mouth almost annoyed.

Edward looked at her with a tender smile on his lips. "She is something else, right?" He stated and took a glare at his sister playing in the water with Jasper. "She can be a tiny scary monster sometimes, but she is amazing. And I wouldn't change her for anything in the world".

And there it was that love she had always sensed whenever he would show her of Alice. That sweet affection that was beyond the artificial bond they had, and that ran through their veins as if their blood were the same. The love of true brothers and sisters.

"So tell me Bella. I want to know. What kind of music do you like?" And with that question they got into a lighter chat, but yet comforting.

Bella looked at him with reverential eyes. He was beyond words. He was beyond anything she had imagined in her fantasies. He was there, and he was real. And he was absolutetly wonderful.

They stayed talking until the sun started to go down. And then they both watched together as the sun went by the horizon, filling the sky with orange rays.

Alice appeared then and dragged them both back to the house, to get ready for dinner. And Bella looked at him with a heartbroken stare, only to find his glowing green eyes. "I will see you at dinner" Edward said and winked at her happily.


	14. Chapter 13: Stare into my eyes

Chapter 13: Stare into my eyes

Bella was just out of the shower, still wrapped up in a towel, when Alice opened the door.  
"Please, please. Don't kill me!" She said as she covered her face with her hands. As she noticed Bella wasn't throwing anything at her, she opened her eyes and looked at her friend through her slim finger.

"You knew it" It was all Bella could say as she threw herself on the bed, covering her eyes with her arm.

"I'm sorry. I could have told you. But be sincere, Bella. Would you have believed me? Would you have believed that the man in your dreams was my brother?" Bella took her arm away and look at Alice's pleading eyes. "And besides, I could have been wrong. I wanted you to discover it by yourself".

Alice made her way to the bed and sat by Bella's side. "I just didn't expect you to go unconscious by his sight. I mean, I have known Edward for years. And I know he's good looking. But he never got that effect on women before" Alice was almost laughing.

"Not funny at all" Bella said sitting again. "You could have given me a heart attack. Do you realize what just happened? I met the guy I have been dreaming about for seven years! I have been in love with him ever since, believing it was impossible. And now he is here, under the same roof, and he is real!" Bella was almost shaking.

"Calm down" Alice wrapped one arm around her. "Are you sure? I mean, is really him? Or Edward just looks like him?"

"Believe me Alice, is _him_. I could have recognized him even with my eyes closed" She put her hands on the sides of her head.

"Oh, don't worry honey. It will be okay. I mean, it has to be fate" Alice squeezed her closer in the embrace. "There's no way this could be a coincidence. How we met, how I decided you should be my friend, how we bonded. I mean, you dreamed of Edward and he told you about me when he and I hadn't even met in reality. Can you see how huge this is?"

Bella raised her head and look into Alice's eyes. "I'm scared Alice. I love him so much; he means the world to me. And look at me. I'm a complete mess. I have never been attractive or interesting. How could he ever notice me?"

"Oh, Bella. You really have a distort image of yourself. But nevertheless I can help you with that" Alice said and took the towel off of Bella's hair. "Let me fixed you". And with that she started working.

Edward was at his rooms looking through his suitcase to find something to wear. He had to be nice, since she was going to be at dinner.

Edward let his mind wander back to the afternoon on the beach, and to the fragile figure of Bella standing by his side on the blanket.

He had just wanted to touch her all day, as he had done when she fainted. The memory of her body lying weightless on his arms, her eyes closed, and her full lips hardly parted, filled his chest and accelerated his heart.

She was so beautiful, and so mysterious. There was intelligence in her eyes, and a longing sadness as well. And the way she seemed to look at him, like if he was someone from her past, put a chill down his spine.

He had never felt the need to protect someone the way he had on that beach, reaching for her before she could collapse on the floor, holding her head against his chest for comfort. And the texture of her skin, soft and warm below his fingers, had made this trip worthy.

A shy knock on the door brought him back from his thoughts. "Can I come in?" Alice's tiny voice came from the hall.

"Come in" he said and saw her little sister close the door behind her.

"What's up?" Edward asked.

"I just wanted to give you something I got for you last time I went shopping" She threw him a bag with a black shirt, with a V shaped collarbone.

"Thanks" Edward said looking suspiciously at his sister. "Am I supposed to wear it now?"

"If you want to..."Alice let the sentence unfinished.

"You knew it" he said to her, without even looking at her.

"What?" Alice asked trying to appear all innocent.

"You knew I would like her, right? You knew we would connect. You always know" He took a few steps closer to her and soon he was staring at her from her high.

Alice looked up to meet his eyes. "I may have. But that's not the important thing here" She placed both of her little hands on his chest as she went on. "You really like her, don't you?"

"Alice…" Edward voice came out as a warning.

"I need to know Edward. Be honest with me. I won't tell her" He hesitated. "I'm still your favourite sister, right?" She gave him her puppy eyes stare.

"Fuck Alice! You are really scary for someone so little" Edward stated and she gave him a large smile.

"Ok. I will admit it" Edward finally stopped fighting. "I think she is beautiful and fascinating. And I have no idea why, but I have this strange feeling that I have been connected with her for a long time".

Alice was almost jumping on her feet. "I'm so happy for you, brother" She said hugging him.

"I don't see why. I'm not sure if she will reciprocate my feelings" Edward replied.

"Oh, I bet she would. You are quite a catch. Just let everything flow and fate will do the rest" She placed a kiss on his cheek and went out of the room winking at him.

As Bella went down for dinner with Alice, she saw that Jasper and Edward were talking by the stairs. Jasper was the first to look up at them. He gave Alice an incredible smile, and soon her girlfriend was running into his open arms, throwing herself at his embrace. They were soon laughing together, forehead by forehead, looking into each others eyes.

Then Edward lifted his eyes and saw Bella coming down. For a moment, he forgot he had to breath, as the air abandoned his body in a loudly gasp. As if possibly, Bella was looking mucho more beautiful that she had in the afternoon, when she had just laid in his arms unconscious. She was now wearing a blue blouse that revelled a little of the skin around her neck and breast; and a short denim skirt showing her long and slim legs. Her hair was curled and silky, falling over her shoulders. And there was a shade of red in her cheeks that Edward noticed was not from makeup, but from that blush he found so adorable.

There was only admiration and devotion in Edward's eyes as she came down the stairs and met him, but Bella could not see it. For she was now lost in the sea of her own memories and feelings.

He was there, as if waiting for her, and he was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing in the meadow dream, the same ones he was wearing in her drawing. And he was even more beautiful that she could remember, now that she could see him with her real eyes.

Bella stepped next to him, and stared deeply into his green eyes, the same way she had done all over those years in her dreams. She didn't think. She just couldn't. Strong emotions, learn from endless nights in his presence, were taken over her actions. And she just stayed there, looking up at him, claiming his eyes, letting the world around disappear for both of them.

Edward was caught in the spell the moment Bella walked down the stairs holding his eyes captive. And now that she was not letting his gaze go, he was feeling incredible at home. Bella was home. She was a secure and known place in the universe, where everything made sense.

And as they were drawn into this trance they had secretly shared for years, Edward and Bella found each other hands and intertwined their fingers, silently drawing patterns with their fingertips on each other skin.

It was an intense moment, yet a very familiar one. A memory of a ritual performed since forever. The reminder of feelings and emotions that could never be forgotten, neither in their minds, nor in their bodies. The sensation of this link was far beyond anything that they had sense before, for now it was real and incredibly intimate.

The sound of Alice's voice broke the spell. And they both let go of their hands and looked around, too confused to realize that they had just shared an extremely intense moment. They smiled at each other a little ashamed, and made their way to the dinning room.

Dinner went well, as any other usual dinner. They all talked about nothing in particular, and the atmosphere was warm and cheerful.

But once in a while Bella would lift her eyes from the plate and looked into Edward's green orbs. And every time she did so, she found the same thing: an intensity that could set both of them in fire, so strong it could blind her, and yet so powerful that could make her whole world spin around his eyes.


	15. Chapter 14: Saviour

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Chapter 14: Saviour

Bella's bedroom was the last one down the hall, on the ground floor of the house. It was huge and beautifully decorated, all in white and gold colours. It had an enormous bed in the centre of the space and a massive glass door to a terrace that led to the swimming pool, a couple of levels beneath.

As soon as dinner was over and everyone said goodnight, Bella found her way to bed. She thought she wouldn't be able to get to sleep with all the excitement of the day, but she fell asleep as soon as her body collapsed on the mattress.

Dreams came to her not long after she closed her eyelids. She was in the woods, walking ahead into the direction for their meadow. When she reached the clearing, he saw that Edward was in the middle of the space, staring at her with sad eyes. "Bella…" he whispered with his melodious voice and reached his arms to her. She started walking into his embrace, but every step she took did not bring him closer to her. He was going away. "Bella…" he whispered again, only this time his voice came out with effort, as if he was suffocating.

And then Bella woke up, her body covered in sweat, breathing heavily through dry lips. Panic rushed through her veins, as she stood up from her bed, and ran to the glass door, opening it and throwing herself outside to the balcony, and down the steps that led to the swimming pool.

She reached the edge of the pool and dived in without a second thought, not looking into the water, sure of what she would find. Her warm body soon encountered the coldness, but she felt no shock. She felt nothing, for all the sensitive point of her skin where engaged in her only goal. And then Bella saw what she was looking for: Edward's body, floating lifeless at the bottom of the pool.

She reached out for him and brought him back to the surface, dragging his body to the edge. Bella managed to lift Edward outside of the water, and rested his head to her chest. She could see now how his limbs where scattered over the floor as if no sign of life remained in him, and panic took over her body as she shouted for help.

"Carlisle!" She felt pain down her throat as the scream went out burning.

Bella looked back at Edward's still figure, his gorgeous features and the thick eyelids hiding the glorious green of his eyes. He was not breathing. Life was slipping away from him.

"Please, don't leave me" Bella whispered into his ear, and softly laid Edward on the ground, starting desperately to perform CPR to his body. She blew air into his mouth and pressed her tiny hands into his chest. Bella had never done this before, and never had taken any courses on first aid. And yet at that frantic moment she knew exactly how to do it, as if the knowledge had come from some hidden spot inside her brain.

Just when she was about to lose all hope, Edward started to cough and to spit water out of his mouth. And as before, Bella knew she had to move his head to a side to allow him to breathe.

Carlisle arrived then, followed close by all of the family. "What happened?" he asked. "He was underwater" was all Bella was able to say, and she realized her voice sounded weak and broken.

Bella saw how Carlisle lifted Edward's body from the ground, cradling him into his arms, moving his hand through Edward's bronze hair. "Breath son" Carlisle whispered. "You are ok now. Just calmed down"

Bella saw that Edward breaths were slowing down into a normal rhythm, and then her brain seemed to start working again, as if someone had turned on some switch. She found herself held by Alice and Rosalie's arms, both of them knelt by her side. And she also realized that she was crying like a baby into their embrace.

Carlisle was still speaking softly into Edward's ears unsuccessfully, because although his breathing was almost normal, he had his eyes shut in a painful contraction of shock. His ache and his fear was so notorious in the twisted expression of his face, that Bella felt his heart could almost wither and die at that sight.

"Edward…" Bella found herself saying his name without even thought about doing it. It had just come out from the bottom of her heart, and this time there was no hesitation and no weakness in her voice, but only tenderness and affection.

As if in some kind of trance, Edward opened his eyes and started looking around like searching for something. And as soon as his splendid green pupils found Bella's, the expression of his face relaxed and he reached out a hand in her direction.

Bella put her hand into his, and gave him a reassuring smile. The world stopped moving as the palpable electricity between them seemed to concentrate in the skin of their fingers. Trapped into each other's eyes, all the fear and aching was washed away.

"Esme, please bring some towels for Edward and Bella" Carlisle voice broke the spell, and they dropped their hands but remained tied by their eyes. They didn't know how much time they had spend into their calming bubble, but they knew that it had been a while. Yet nobody around had said a word during that intense moment, for they were afraid to brake the intimacy of Edward and Bella's connection.

Esme came back soon with the towels, and Bella felt that someone was wrapping her into one of them. Soon she noticed that Edward was also covered, and that Carlisle was helping him stand up.

"Let's go inside to calm down and have something hot to drink" Carlisle said.

Rosalie and Alice helped Bella to get on her feet, but after she walked a couple of steps, she felt her shaking legs could not hold her. Before she could even start falling, Bella felt two strong arms lifting her from the ground and carrying her back inside.

"I got you Bells" Emmet said, and Bella found the supportive smile of Alice's brother.

Emmet sat her on the couch next to Edward, and soon Esme returned from the kitchen with tea for everyone. There was an uncomfortable silence in the air, as they all sat on the living room staring at Edward and Bella.

"Are you ok?" Carlisle asked. Bella nodded. Edward coughed a little and replied: "My throat aches, but otherwise I'm ok" And then he turned his eyes to Bella and said: "Thanks to you, I may say".

"Could you please tell us what happened?" It was now Alice's worried voice. She had been silent since the beginning of the incident.

"I couldn't get to sleep so I decided to go swimming" Edward began, his voice rough from the water he had swallowed. "And then I felt a cramp in my legs. Before I knew I was sinking. Soon I had no more air into my lungs and everything turned dark". He looked to his shaking hands trying to recover his voice. "Next thing I knew, Bella was over me and soon Carlisle as well".

They all turned around and looked at Bella. "Where you awake?" Emmet asked her. "How is it possible that you were the only one that heard him screaming?"

Before Bella could answer, Edward spoke again, staring intently at her. "I never screamed. I was underwater before I could even have a chance to call for help".

This time the stares intensified. "Then how did you know?" Emmet asked Bella again.

Bella shuddered a little before founding her voice: "I don't know". There were worried and confused looks in everyone eyes. So she chose to look into Edward's eyes, which were pleading for her attention. "I just woke up in the middle of the night, sweaty and in panic, and knew that something was wrong with him. I don't know why, but I ran to the pool and dived in without thinking. I found him on the bottom of the water and took him out. He was no breathing. So I performed CPR to him".

Bella abruptly stopped talking. The room was reverently silent, as everyone was immersed in their own thoughts. She looked back into Edward's eyes and all of a sudden powerful and overwhelming emotions got her.

Bella started crying desperately, covering her face with her hands, as her whole body began shaking violently. She felt two arms around her body and knew it was Edward, for his smell could match no other.

Bella started sobbing and speaking incoherently at the same time: "I was so afraid Edward! I thought I was going to lose you!" Edward brought her closer to his chest, and softly kissed her hair. "It's ok Bella. I'm here. You saved me".

Bella lifted his tearing eyes to his and kept crying as if she hadn't heard him. She was into a panic attack. All the emotions held seemed to have exploded inside her body. "I was too scared. I don't know how I put you out of the water. You were so heavy. And I didn't know what to do then. I had never performed CPR before! Fuck, I didn't even know how to do it!" She was hyperventilating.

Edward took her face between his hands. "Bella! Bella! Looked at me!" He shouted. She suddenly stopped moving as she felt trapped into the spell of his eyes, those eyes that meant the world for her. "You saved me. It's over. I'm here and I'm okay. Please calm down". Bella stared at him for another couple of seconds, and finally her breathing began composing.

Edward drew his hands down from her face to her neck, over her shoulder, and finally rested them over her slim fingers. He took one of her hands and lifted it to his lips. He placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Thank you" he whispered.

Carlisle voice came again, breaking the trance. "I think we should all go to bed now. It's been enough for one night". He then helped Edward to stand up and looked at Alice. "I think you should stay with Bella tonight, just in case. I will take care of Edward".

Bella felt that Alice was grabbing her by her arm and she let her friend led her back to her bedroom. Edward gave her a last glance before she left the room, and what Bella saw in his eyes made her realize she was willing to endure all the pain in the world for it. Edward eyes were glowing with adoration.


	16. Chapter 15: Because of Alice

Chapter 15: Because of Alice

As Bella woke up next morning, she was feeling a lot better. At least, she was feeling more at ease. The events from last night seemed now to have been part of a very convincing nightmare. But as Bella saw Alice's little figure sleeping by her side, she knew it had all been real.

She got up, taking special care not to awaken Alice, and went to the bathroom. After a relaxing shower, she got dressed into a light dress and went to the kitchen.

Bella found Esme working in breakfast, and soon offered to help. As they worked together, Bella noticed that Esme would look at her often, with a warm smile in her lips.

"It's good to see you fell ok this morning" Bella heard Carlisle voice behind her. She turned to see him smiling fondly. He put a comforting hand on Bella's shoulder.

"We would like to talk to you, honey" Esme said looking at her husband. "It's good that you are the first one up".

The three of them sat along the kitchen's island. Carlisle began. "We never got a chance to thank you for what you did last night. We could have lost Edward if it weren't for you".

Bella heard Esme gasping. "Sorry, dear. But just to think about losing my son makes my heart ache". Esme put her hand over Bella's with a pleading look in her eyes.

"I know" Bella replied, and then she couldn't stop the words as they left her mouth. "The idea of loosing him also made me believe that my heart could stop".

She stood quiet then, thinking of what she had just said to Edward's parents. How could they understand? For them, she had just met Edward less than 24 hours ago. How could they know that she had loved him for over seven years?

Esme and Carlisle remained silent, looking at each other seriously. Esme spoke first. "We don't know what kind of bond exists between you and our son" She said. "But we are not blind. And we can certainly see that it's a strong one".

"We know it's not a connection that simply began yesterday. And we also realize that there is something beyond logic working here" Carlisle added. "Yet it's not our job to try to understand it. But we are thankful for it".

Bella lifted her eyes and found the warm faces of Esme and Carlisle. "Whatever it is was strong enough to make you realize that he was in danger" Carlisle continued. "And powerful enough to make you find a strength you don't have to save him. There is nothing we could possibly do that would be enough to thank you for what you did".

There were tears in both theirs eyes, and Bella found out that she herself had been crying for a while now. But anyway she found her voice as she talked. "There's no easy or simple way to explain to you how I feel about Edward. And even I don't know what happened last night. But I do want you to know something: that I have loved your son almost all my life. I know it's hard to believe. But he has been with me all the way, only I never knew it was him until yesterday".

"You don't have to explain it, Bella" Carlisle said. "No one can know how love would work. It just happens. That's all".

"We had never seen two young ones looked at each other the way you and Edward do" Esme smiled to Bella. "There is such intensity in your eyes that you made us all around you feel like intruders as you stare at each other". Bella blushed at the thought.

"Don't be embarrass, honey" Esme replied squeezing her hand. "It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. So intimate, so powerful".

"Edward has been a loner all his life, just as you. A loner in a family of couples. I know it's been hard for him" Carlisle put his hand on Bella's shoulder. "And to see how he looks at you makes me believe it was worth the wait. I can't believe he finally found you".

"It has to be fate" Esme said. "That's the only explanation for all the things that have been going on since you entered our lives. Not only your strange connection with Edward and your miraculous action of last night. But also this weird feeling we all get around you, like if we knew you. Like if you had always been part of our family".

"I feel the same way with all of you" Bella confessed. "I lost my family a long time ago, and with them my only hope to feel like I belonged somewhere. Since then I have never felt accepted, or loved, or understood. People just don't like me, so I don't like them. I have spent the last years avoiding everyone, trying to be invisible"

She looked deep into Esme and Carlisle eyes. It was strange, yet comforting, to talk to them. "And then this little fairy comes into my life and changes everything. Within a week she is my best friend, and another week later I'm here, with all of you, feeling so at home it seems impossible. My world has truly been set upside down. And all because of Alice". Bella laughed amused.

"You never have to feel alone again, honey" Esme said as she walk to Bella and gave her a tight hug. Bella could feel Carlisle's strong hand on her shoulder as well. And tears began to flow down her cheek. Never alone again.

**I hope you have enjoyed it! I'm certainly enjoying this experience.**

**And I would love if you check my latest short story, also Twilight inspired. It's almost a fairy tale named "Sleeping beauty".**

.net/s/5144354/1/Sleeping_Beauty

**Please review!!!**


	17. Chapter 16: Thanks

Chapter 16: Thanks

"You didn't wake me up" Alice came into the kitchen with a pout.

"Sorry" Bella said. "You were sleeping like a baby. I didn't want to disturb you"

"Here, honey" Esme interrupted. "Your coffee with milk". Alice grabbed the coffee and smiled.

"We are going to the beach. See you there girls" Carlisle announced, and soon both him and Esme were out. Bella and Alice were now alone in the kitchen.

When they had gone to bed together last night, after the incident, Alice and Bella did not share a single word. Bella was visibly exhausted, physically and mentally, so Alice just allowed her to fall asleep as soon as possible. She just covered Bella with a blanket and watch over her for a while to be sure she was not having nightmares. And then, Alice allowed herself to close her eyes.

But now they were alone and very much awake, and there was a couple of things that Alice wanted to tell Bella.

"Ok. Shoot it" Bella smiled to her friend.

"I just want to thank you for what you did last night" Alice said. "I mean, my brother can be really annoying some times, but I still love him".

Bella smiled although she didn't find the comment too funny. "You know how much he means to me".

"Yes, I know" Alice replied. "But I did not truly understood it until last night, Bella"

She looked serious, so Bella stopped smiling. "Until yesterday, when you saved his life, I hadn't realized how amazing this story is. Because till then I only supposed that you had premonitional dreams. But I was wrong. This goes both ways. There are two sides of this tale: yours and his. And a bond between you two that is so powerful that he was able to let you know he was in danger, and you were able to have the strength to save him".

"Ok, I follow it, but I'm still a little confused" Bella admitted.

"Don't you see it? He may not remember you, and he may not have been dreaming about you for seven years. But still, deep in his heart, he knows you. In some hidden place of his brain, he holds all the memories of your encounters" Alice saw that Bella's look was still doubtful.

"I was there Bella. We all were" Alice said. "We saw how Edward stopped shacking when he heard your voice. How he calmed down the moment he found your eyes. How intimate the touch of your hands was. People that just meet, no matter how intense the attraction could be, don't look at each other the way you and Edward do. There is something else behind that, and somehow he knows it".

"I hope you are right, Alice. I really do" Bella shocked her head. "More than anything in the world".

Rosalie broke the conversation as she entered the kitchen and went to get a coffee. "How is our hero today?" Rose asked. Bella smiled. Rose was so cruel, yet so funny.

"No, really. I'm really grateful for your actions, Bella. Good thing you were here" Rosalie was serious now, yet she did not do a single question about the unusual series of events that had led to the rescue.

"Emmet and Jasper are checking on Edward. Apparently he was still sleeping. We will see them at the beach. Should we start going?" Rose asked.

Alice grabbed Bella's hand, and the three of them headed downstairs to the sea.

Bella wasn't feeling like going into the water, so she just found a quiet spot on the sand, not too next to Carlisle and Esme, who were reading peacefully. Bella watched as Rosalie and Alice got into the water, trying to run the waves with their boards.

The wind was warm yet not hot. The weather was pleasant and welcoming. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander to distant lands and memories.

But her calm was interrupted by a heavy hand that messed her hair. Bella opened her eyes disgusted and saw Emmet running to the water smiling. She was just stunned and beginning to fell annoyed, when she felt someone sitting by her side and saying in a musical voice: "That's supposed to be a friendly gesture".

Bella turned around and found Edward's sweet eyes. "That's Emmet's way to say thank you. He is not much of a talker. At least, not a serious one" Edward continued.

Bella smiled back. "Sorry. I'm just not used to friendly gestures. Well, actually, I'm not used to friendship at all".

Edward looked deeply into her eyes. "I know" was all he said.

They stared for a little more, without saying a single word, just captured again by their eyes. Bella broke the spell this time. "Are you feeling ok this morning?"

"Yeah, I slept a lot. And my throat doesn't ache anymore" He replied. "What about you? You seemed really stressed last night"

"Could you blame me?" Bella asked.

Edward's eyes were full of pain this time. "I'm really sorry" he said.

"For what?"

"For putting you through that" Edward said. He broke the bond and looked into his hands.

"You shouldn't be apologizing for it. It was an accident" Bella lifted his chin with her fingers to find his stare again.

"I know. But it was still very irresponsible. If it weren't for you, I would be dead. And the way you found me…" he stopped, his voice failing him.

"I'm sorry" Edward said taking his face back to the sea. "It's just that everything is so fantastic"

"I never realized you were so closed-minded that you couldn't allow yourself to believe that some fantasy could be found in your life" Bella was serious as she looked at him.

"You believe in fantasy?" Edward asked.

"Of course I do" Bella assured. "I'm a writer. I live up to fantasy. And besides, that's the only explanation I find for what happened last night"

Edward looked at her for a long time, his eyes scanning the real meaning of her words in her face. Then he turned his head back to the water and remained like that. For a moment, Bella thought he was upset with her, but then she realized he was just thinking and trying to find the right words.

Abruptly, Edward turned around to face her and Bella found that his lips were only inches away from her. The breath coming from his mouth was intoxicating. She though she was going to faint again, but she managed to compose herself.

"I'm so sorry Bella" Edward took both of her hands between his. "I should be nothing but grateful to you. You saved my life. You are the most courageous and selfless women I have ever met. You risked your life without even thinking about it twice and I'm nothing to you but a stranger".

"You are not a stranger for me…" Bella understood what she had said just after she heard her own words.

They both remained silence again, staring again at each other. There was an uncomfortable silence now, full of unspoken words and feelings. Edward's eyes were going from confusion, to amazement, to confusion again. Bella was really pissed of with herself for having just said that. It was no easy way to explain anything to him. She could never tell him how much she loved him and how long she had hoped for him to be real, without freaking him out. So Bella just stayed silence, hoping for Edward's thought to come to a resolution.

Edward shocked his head with a frustrated expression on his face. "Please Bella forgive me" he said then.

"There's nothing to forgive" she replied.

"Yes, I'm behaving like a total jerk" Edward was again looking at her with those amazing green eyes. "It's just that for one moment I thought we were in the same page. Feeling the same thing…"

"And what is that?" Bella asked.

"Well.." he was hesitant.

"Edward, don't be afraid. You can tell me anything; even the strangest thing and I would never believe you to be crazy. I'm the one that believes in fantasy, remember? I embrace fantasy as my way of living" Bella smiled a little trying to comfort him.

"It's just that every time I'm with you I have these bizarre feeling…" He looked again at her, worried about her reaction. She smiled to encourage him to continue. "I just feel like I should know you. Like I should remember you. It seems like I have some memories of you locked up in the back of my mind. Specially when you look at me with those brown eyes. When we stare it feels peaceful, and right, and secure. Like being at home, you know?"

Edward was hesitant again. He put his hand through his messy hair and gasp frustrated. "You must believe I'm crazy" he whispered.

"Edward, look at me" Bella said. He didn't obey, so she reached out a hand, placed it softly at his chin and pushed his face up. Touching him was glorious. Not once in her dreams had she ever touched the perfect surface of his features. And now, the electricity running from his skin to hers was almost too good to be happening in reality.

"Please looked at me" she repeated. Edward lifted his eyes to meet hers. "I'm the one who dreamed of you calling for my help. I'm the one who woke up in the middle of the night screaming your name, who jumped outside and through herself to a pool just because I somehow knew you were there and you were in trouble". She smiled sweetly at him and continued. "Nothing you could possibly be feeling can make me believe that you are crazy. At least, not more crazy than me"

After thinking about it for a moment, Edward finally smiled. "I don't know if we are crazy, or if it's just some supernatural event" He caressed her cheek with his soft touch. "But I'm really thankful for it".

They both laughed a little now and kept staring into each others eyes. It made them feel attached and connected. And it did feel like _home_. It felt like arriving to a place, your place, that sacred space in the universe where you feel you belong to; where you feel secure and comfortable; where you know you can be yourself, lose all the masquerades and behave like the real you, with all your mistakes and flaws. It was a comforting ritual.


	18. Chapter 17: Sleeping beauty

Chapter 17: Sleeping beauty

"Do you want to stay here at the beach or would you accept an alternative plan?" Edward asked then.

Bella looked around and found that all the family was in the water now. They were alone. She had no idea when they had all gone, and she was certain that Edward didn't know either.

"No, no water please. I had enough of it last night" Bella said. "What's your alternative plan?".

"I don't know. Maybe we could go inside and talk a little. Or maybe watch a movie or something" Edward replied. All he really truly wanted was to be alone with her, to have some privacy, to get the chance to get to really know her.

"Sure. It sounds good. I don't really like the sun" Bella said. Truth was that she did enjoy the beach, but she was looking forward to have some time with Edward without his whole family around.

They got up and started walking up to the house. Bella was going ahead, and Edward took his chance to have a long stare at her body while she was wearing her bikini. He was completely and absolutely amazed by the curves of her slim figure. The round hips, the flat stomach, the arch in the low of her back and the length of her never ending legs. All about her was perfect.

He stopped on his tracks to look how her long chocolate hair moved over the smooth pale skin of her back, as her hips swung as she walked up. She turned around to look at him, and he appreciated the graceful move of her shoulder, her hair flying, revealing the sweet curves of her exquisite breast.

"What are you staring at?" Bella brought Edward back from his thoughts. "And don't lie to me, because I know you were not looking into my eyes"

Event caught in crime, Edward managed to compose himself and to throw an irresistible crocked smile. "Sorry. I was just checking if what I saw last night was an hallucination or not" he replied.

"And what exactly did you see last night?" Bella asked.

"Well, honestly, I might have been in shock, but I could have never failed to see you in that white wet nightgown. You were quite a sight, I may add" Edward smirk.

"Oh my God!" Bella yelled and her cheeks turned furious red.

"Let's just say that the wet outfit left nothing to imagination" He replied.

"You are really sick, you know?" She should be pissed off, but she was actually a little flattered about his words. "Ok. Now you are going ahead. No more looking at me".

Edward smile his way up, passing by Bella and giving a last stare at her full body. "Unbelievable!" She said but smiled anyway.

And now that he was in front of her, Bella had to admit he was quite a sight himself. Not that she had never had a change to look at him before. She had spent the last seven years looking at him, memorizing every inch of his body every single night. But truthfully, being able to look at Edward with her real eyes was a totally different story. Here he was, wearing only some bathing shorts, exposing to her the muscles of his perfect back. Once in a while, as he would turn to look at her, she would get a chance to stare at the beauty of his naked chest. There was no dream that could match the sensuality of his body in reality.

They got into the house and Edward went into the kitchen to get some snacks and drinks. Bella went to the living room and sat on the couch waiting. He came back really soon.

"So, what about a movie?" he asked.

"Ok. What do you want to see?" Bella replied.

"I think I know what kind of movie would you like. May I take a guess?" Edward was smirking mischievously.

"Ok. Let's see" Bella agreed.

Edward walked to the wall by the side of the giant flat TV and chose a box from a shelter. He came back to her side and offered the movie to her. Bella picked it up and read the title: "Labyrinth". She looked up at him astonished, and then laughed. The most sincere and honest laugh she had in about seven years. Edward made a personal note to remind himself that he always wanted to hear her laugh like that.

"Great guess!" Bella said. "How did you find out?"

"You embrace fantasy, remember?" Edward gave her a smug look. "And I also love this movie".

So they seated next to each other on the couch and pressed play. As the movie began, Bella felt Edward's hand reaching hers. She looked to the side, but Edward was acting like if he was playing attention to the movie. Bella smiled again, shocked her head and entwined her finger with his. They stay like that, in a comfortable silence, looking at the movie.

An hour later, just when Sarah was about to reach the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child the Goblin King had stole; Edward felt the smooth hair of Bella on the side of his head. He turned around and noticed she was asleep on his shoulder.

He didn't want to wake her up by taking her to her room, so he softly put his arm around her shoulder and slide her head to his lap. That allowed him a full view of Bella's sleeping face.

Edward caressed her soft hair with her hand and took a good look at her. He wanted to memorize her completely. There was no way he could ever get bored staring at the gorgeous curve of her tiny nose, the silky red of her lips partially parted or the sweet shape of her chin.

Edward remained there for what may have been another hour, looking at her like hypnotized. Bella seemed so peaceful in his arms, sleeping calmly, like if she felt secure within his embrace. It was the tenderest and most heartbreaking experience of his life to be holding this amazingly beautiful woman that seemed to be so fragile yet was so powerful. The emotions that she arose in him, this mixture of lust, and tenderness, and protectiveness, could not compare to anything he had felt before. She might look like a lamb, but she was a lion. She could dictate his life if she wanted so, because he would never deny her anything. The way he felt when they were locked into each other eyes made him feel that he could let his world spin around her.

The sound of voices coming from the beach brought him back to reality.

"Bella.." he called her, softly stroking her hair.

She blinked twice, before lazily opening her eyes. "Am I dreaming again?" she asked.

"No, Bella. You felt sleep in my lap while watching the movie. And I didn't want to wake you up, but I think my family is coming back and I don't want you to feel embarrassed if they found us in this position" Edward smiled his most mischievous grin.

Bella raised herself up quickly and gave him a murderous stare. "You are impossible" she whispered.

Everyone got into the room then and they stared at them sitting in the couch.  
"There you are!" Alice yelled and walked to them. "I was looking for you two. Where have you been?"

"We didn't feel like being at the beach, so we came back to watch a movie" Edward pointed innocently to the TV screen still playing the "Labyrinth" DVD menu.

Alice smiled. "I guess I could buy that, but I won't" she said. "Come Bella! Let's get ready to dinner. And you" she looked at Edward, "let my friend go, please!"

Just then Bella and Edward realized they were still holding hands.


	19. Chapter 18: Goodbye

Chapter 18: Goodbye

Weekend was over soon. As Sunday arrived, everyone gathered at the front door of the beach house, getting the bags into the cars and preparing for heading back to everyday routine.

Jasper and Alice were carrying their suitcases and Bella's into their car, and Bella used the opportunity to say goodbye to the family. There was a bitter feeling deep inside her knowing that she was heading back to her lonely life, away form this wonderful people she felt so comfortable with.

Esme hugged her lovingly. "It's been a pleasure to have you here, honey" she said placing a kiss in her cheek. "You are most than welcome to come to our house any time you want" Carlisle said giving her a quick hug. "We will be expecting you" Esme added.

Bella smiled delighted to both of them. They were so caring and gentle! She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so welcomed around other people. Well, actually, around people at all.

Rosalie came next, briefly hugging her. "We will be seen each other soon" The blonde said.

Emmet grabbed Bella and squeezed her, lifting her from the ground. "It's been great having you here!" He said smiling. "You are a lot of fun, girl".

"Thanks Emmet…" Bella whispered. He was chocking her, but yet she didn't want him to let her go. It was a loving gesture she was not used to, but that she enjoyed anyway.

"Emmet, let her go!" Rosalie yelled. "She can't breath!".

"Ops!" Emmet let her on the ground. "Sorry Bells…"

Bella smiled sweetly at him. Emmet was such a big teddy bear!.

Then Bella looked around to find the only person she hadn't yet said goodbye to. But Edward was nowhere to be found. This realization caused a sharp pain in the pit of her stomach. Bella turned around and headed to the car, where Alice and Jasper were waiting for her, chatting happily with Rosalie and Emmet.

"Bella…" She heard his velvet voice come dancing to her ears. He said his name like if it was a caress.

Bella closed her eyes, a glowing smile on her face and turned around. She opened her eyes to fin Edward standing in front of her, looking more beautiful that what could be humanly possible.

"Edward.." Bella whispered with a soft voice.

They both took a couple of steps to each other. She looked into his perfect and profound green eyes, holding a lovingly smile on her lips and getting lost in his stare. How his eyes could keep her prisoner! Edward approached her even more, until their bodies were almost touching.

"I…You know…It's just…" his voice was trembling and the words were stumbling into each other.

Bella silenced him putting her finger on his mouth, trying to calm him. She didn't want to think about anything now that he was standing by her. All Bella wanted was to get lost into his eyes.

They found their hand and intertwined their fingers tightly, leaning closer into each other body.

Alice grabbed Jasper, Emmet and Rosalie, and pushed them back into the house, closing the door behind them.

"What?" Emmet asked.

"Look" Alice said, and they all stared through the window as Bella and Edward leaned until their foreheads were together. They didn't listen or sensed the others leaving. They were to gone into their private and magic bubble.

"It's been the most incredible weekend" Edward whispered, his breath filling all of Bella's senses. His voice was back and it was soft and tender, like it has always been in her dreams. "Knowing you was intoxicating" He continued.

Bella smiled sweetly to him, and they stared with eyes full of passion and tenderness. Just like old time lovers would look after a love encounter.

"I want to see you again" Edward whispered

"Me too" Bella replied.

"No. I _need_ to seed you again. I need to know you, everything about you. I need to be as close to you as possible" Edward said.

"I need you too" She simply answered.

"And you will have as much of me as you want" Edward voice was a caress.

They close their eyes and breathed into each other, letting their scent fill their consciousness. The mixture of both their fragrances was the most erotic perfume ever possible. They allowed their combined scent to cloud their senses, claiming their minds and sending them both to a space beyond reality.

This intimate bubble closed around them, as Edward and Bella continued to draw patterns in their skins with their fingers, forehead with forehead, breathing slowly and peacefully.

Someone coughing broke the spell. "As much as I like this wonderful display of love" Emmet said. "We need to go today!"

Bella and Edward got away from each other, but their hands remained together.  
"I will call you" Edward said.

"I know" Bella replied with a smile.

Edward came closer one more time and placed a soft kiss in her cheek, before whispering in her ear: "And I will miss you horribly".

Bella turned around to look into his eyes, as his breath in her neck caused a shiver go down her spine. For a second, they were again lost into their stare.

"Enough!" Alice said grabbing Bella by her arm and carrying her into the car.

As they got away, they never broke their look and a frustrated gasp left their lips as they felt their fingers loosing each other touch.


	20. Chapter 19: Fixation

Chapter 19: Fixation

As soon as Bella opened the door of her apartment, just after saying goodbye to Jasper and a very excited Alice, she threw her bag and ran to her sacred office. She held the door open and crossed the room in a couple of fast steps, directly into her desk.

As Bella sank into her chair turning the computer on, she could feel the ideas and thoughts stumbling into each other inside her, claiming for her full attention. She placed her fingers over the keys of her notebook, but before starting to work, Bella decided that the first thing to do was to get ready for it.

In Bella's mind, ideas were now storming. She knew now what she was going to write about, what she wanted to say and where her story was heading. But yet, the thoughts were coming and going from her head, as new ones entered and left in a confusing hurricane. She needed to clear the path.

Bella allowed herself then to close her eyes and to find a secure memory, something powerful enough to temporarily stop the rumbling in her mind. And that solid and peaceful thought was, of course, the one of his eyes.

She took a soft breath as she let herself wander to their last moment together, to the warm of his stare, to the texture of his smooth skin on her hand, and to the sweet smell of his breath so close to her mouth. And then she held on to the last words that Edward had said: "I will miss you horribly".

With that in her mind, and a peaceful smile on her lips, Bella opened her eyes and stared into the computer. This time she was not going to draw anything or to make any diagram to lead her. This time she was going to allow her inspiration to overwhelm her, as she felt the ideas were coming not in a slow flow as it used to be, but like a rough sea, ruled by violent waves.

Several hours after beginning, far after the clock had announced midnight, Bella yawned and felt that her fingers were almost burning. She looked first at her hands, and then back to the screen, unaware of how much time she had been writing without even thinking about it. Curious, she scrolled up the document and realized there were lots and lots of written pages that she had no recognition of having made.

Never before writing had taken such a power over her. Never before she had felt that her creation could take over her mind and body so ferociously, clouding her senses as if she were not anymore inside her own skin.

Bella sat back more comfortably in her chair, beginning to read the pages like if it were not her own making. And to her wonder, she loved it. Every single word, every single scenario, every single situation was perfectly outlined, described and expressed, in a way that could not suit her story more accurately. Words had softly slipped from her mind to her fingers to the keys almost like a living creature. And as Bella finished reading her creation she realized that, if this path would go on, this was going to be, by far, her best work ever.

Next morning, after sleeping just the lowest amount of necessary hours, Bella went back to her desk to continue with her task. All she wanted to do was to get lost into that hurricane that her book was becoming. And as she was about to do it, she heard her cell phone vibrate.

A new text message, Bella read. She was about to threw the object and get back to the computer, but something stopped her. She opened the mobile and read the message.

"I'm stuck in the hospital. Will call you as soon as possible. Be safe. Edward".

That was all it took. With a wide smile on her lips, Bella got into the unconsciousness of inspiration as she left her body and allowed her story to take over all her senses while the writing began.

The following three days went by like a blur. Bella's life was a mist of words and images, slipping in and out of her writer trance just for short snaps and meals, and, of course, for Edward's constant and inspiriting communications.

Every now and then Bella's cell phone would ring, announcing the income of another of his messages. First day, the messages were light and almost formal, just to let her know how he was really busy at work but that he still remembered her. But at the second day, as they started to feel the weight of being apart, the tone began to slightly change and the words seemed more the ones of lovers that those of friends.

And along with the terms, the hours and quantity of the messages also began to change, arriving at any time of day and night, as Edward found that he could not help himself. He wanted to be close to her in any possible way, to let her know that he remained true to his promise.

For Bella, days were hazy, as she felt dizzy and gone most of the time, letting herself sink into the intoxicating state of her newly discovered writer's talent. The book was becoming an obsession and an overpowering drug, running through her veins, twisting her life and her routine until she had no idea what time it was and what was she supposed to be doing.

The only thing more important and more vital than her writing was him. Edward's constant and tender communications were the only bond she had left with reality. And yet, they were also the trigger to her compulsive behaviour. Missing him, the hurt that this feeling inflicted in her heart, was the bridge that allowed all of her ideas and creations to get across her fingers into her story.

And by Wednesday afternoon, when the phone rang awakening Bella from her usual trance, she looked at the screen and realized that her book was almost finished.


	21. Chapter 20: A night out

**It's been long, I know. I have been pretty bussy with work and my studies. Hope you can understand and still enjoy this chapter. I will be updating soon, since I'm writing now the final chapter.**

**Review please!!**

Chapter 20: A night out

Bella picked up the mobile and saw it was Rosalie calling her.

"Hey Rose" she greeted.

"Hi Bells!" Rosalie replied. "How is everything going? Alice told me you have been really busy with your work"

"I'm fine, thank you. Just a little tired, that's all" Bella said

"Ok. Since you have been working so hard, we thought you might appreciate some distraction. We are going out to a cool club tonight, and we thought you should came" The blonde continued.

Bella looked back at the notebook and weighted the alternative. Since she was aware that the book was almost finished, she could allowed herself to have some fun.

"Ok Rose. I would like it".

"Great! Alice and I are going to be there in a couple of hours to help you with your outfit, hair and make up. See you soon!" And with that Rosalie said goodbye.

Outfit, hair and make up, Bella thought. This was going to be a long evening if torture was ahead. But then she decided that it was for the best not to fight it.

Before heading for a bath, Bella went back to the last chapters and read them, since, as usual, she had no recollection of what she had written. To her surprise, the story was getting better and better as it went on. It was almost impossible to believe that the pages spread before her were actually of her own making.

As she continued reading the book as any other reader would do, in Bella's mind the story became to look like a living creature. She could almost feel its heart pumping and it's slow yet rhythm breathes. An alive piece of her own manufacture, strong and powerful enough to block her out of herself and into a delusional state, far away from awareness.

The end was not far away, and in her thoughts she could almost take a glimpse at it. The final chapters, no more than three or four, were barely outlined in her head. And she was going to let herself into that devastating state in which she could let the story find its own way.

But that was going to happen tomorrow. Since now she was going to get a bath and wait for her friends to arrive and, later on, have some fun with them. Right at this moment, all Bella wanted was to get back to reality for a little while.

Rosalie and Alice arrived just after she got out of the shower, and soon they were all over her, working on her hair and her face.

By the time Jasper and Emmet arrived, they had managed to get Bella into a fitting black tiny dress, along with black high-heeled shoes. They had put her hair up with silver pins, and placed a light yet gorgeous make up on her face.

"Finally ready!" Alice yelled excited.

"The guys must be downstairs. Let's get going!" Rosalie grabbed Bella's hand and dragged her out of her apartment.

They arrived at Drakkar Club half an hour later, and they didn't need to wait since Rosalie went ahead, working with her eyelashes to the bouncer. They were comfortable chatting in a table not too long after.

"You know Bella, I just spoke with Edward on the phone" Jasper said and smiled as he saw Bella's face lighten up. "He is just leaving hospital and going home for a shower. If he can keep his eyes open, he will for sure come".

The mere thought that she might get a chance to see him again tonight; not only put a wide and stupid smile on her face, but also dramatically changed her mood. Bella began to actively participate in the conversation, laughing and making jokes on the way.

But inside, as much happiness as she felt, she was dreadfully anxious. What could he possible be thinking after so many days without seeing each other? Would he remain attach to his promise that she was going to get as much of him as she wanted? Because she wanted a lot of him. Actually, all of him. Would he ever be able to understand the depth of her love?

"Bella, please be calm!" Alice said, placing her hand over hers, as Bella noticed she had been tapping the table with her fingers.

"Enough!" Emmet claimed. "We need to begin to get drunk! Jasper, you are coming with me to the bar" He announced and soon they were both leaving.

"I should go to bathroom. Would any of you join me?" Rosalie asked.

"You two go" Bella replied. "I will stay here and look after our table"

Truth, she didn't want to leave the spot in case Edward came. And besides, she was so uneasy that she felt her legs were trembling, and by sure she would not be able to get to the bathroom without tripping on the way there

As Alice and Rosalie left her, Bella allowed her eyes to wander all over the place, trying desperately to find a blur of bronze hair or the glow of two emeralds. Yet, she found no evidence of him.

Is he even going to come? Bella wondered. This waiting was almost like hell. And there was no certainty that he would come at all. What if he was too tired to come? Or worse, what if he doesn't want to see me again? She could not endure losing him like that, after waiting so long for him to be real and into her life.

"Hello gorgeous" Bella heard the voice next to her, but even before turning she knew it was not the sweet melody of Edward's voice. She turned around to find two sky blue eyes, a wide white smile and blonde messed hair.

"I'm Mike. Want to have some fun?" He asked.

"No, thank you" Bella replied, polite, yet sharp.

"Oh come on" He continued sitting by her side. "Don't get difficult. You know you want it"

Bella looked at him with disgust. What was wrong with him? Wasn't NO a sufficient answer?

"That seat is taken" She merely replied, with aversion in her voice.

"Yeah? By whom?" Mike laughed. "You are not going to lie to me and tell me you have a boyfriend, right? That's the lamest excuse you could use".

"Why?" Bella replied. If she wasn't good enough to have a boyfriend, why was he even bothering her?

"Because if you would have one, he would be here next to you, keeping an eye on your beautiful figure. Yet you are all alone" Mike answered.

Bella was about to reply, but just as she opened her mouth, she felt two strong arms wrapping her waist from behind, and a sweet and too familiar voice coming to her ear. "Hi honey".

Bella closed her eyes leaning her head at the touch of Edward's soft arms, as she heard him whisper in her ear: "Play along with me".

She didn't need to; her body was playing along without the instruction to do so. Bella felt she was melting into his body as he embraced her from behind, and soon awareness began to slip away from her as she felt his soft breath on the skin of her neck.

When Bella thought she could not endure any more, she felt Edward's lips rubbing gently against her throat, slowly beginning to place wet kisses from her earlobe to her shoulder. And her whole world exploded inside her body.

As if in one of her trances, Bella allowed her mind to go away, as all her senses became plagued with Edward's exquisite touch and her body refused to respond to any of her logical calls. She leaned her head on his shoulder, to allowed him a clearer access to her neck, as he continue to kiss, and suck, and bite, all along the way.

The sensations were exhilarating. Far beyond anything she could have imagined in the wildest of her erotic fantasies with him. To actually feel his gentle touch, the breath of his mouth in her neck, the humidity of his lips on her skin, was past anything she had dreamed it would be.

Gone into the intimacy of the moment, unaware of anything around them, Bella knew Edward was lost too. They were far ahead now from the "play along" scenario. This was close and sensual, in every possible meaning of the word.

"Hmmm" Someone clearing his throat brought them back to real life. "What exactly are you two doing?" Bella recognized Emmet's voice.

They opened their eyes and saw their friends, the four of them, staring at them with amused grins in their mouth.

"We were just…We were playing along…It was this guy…" Both of them stumbled into words as they tried to explain the inexplicable.

"Playing along?" Rosalie was far from amused.

"What guy?" Alice asked holding laughter.

"This guy that was bothering Bella and I…" Edward and Bella looked around confused. There was no sign of Mike anywhere near them. Obviously, at some point, while they were to wrapt up into the "play along" moment, the guy had left them to find a more accessible prey.


	22. Chapter 21: Emergency

Chapter 22: Emergency

Getting his hands away from Bella's thin figure was one of the harder things Edward had ever done in his life. And it didn't go easy on Bella either. They both felt reluctant to loosing physical contact, but at the same time they knew they had no longer an excuse to be hovering over each other like they were. The temporary threat that Mike had personified was gone, for quite some time as it seemed in their friends incredulous eyes. And beyond the "playing along" scenario there was no real reason to be so close to each other. At least none they had confessed yet.

Edward swiftly removed his arms from around Bella's waist and took a seat beside her, contemplating his hands confused. He remembered walking into the bar some time ago (how long ago, he had no idea) and seeing Bella sitting by a table, looking all beautiful and fragile, as always. She was looking frantically around, like if she had lost something important and could not find it. For a brief hopeful moment, Edward thought she might be searching for him.

But then he saw the blonde haired guy approaching her from behind, and a stab of hate and pain hit his chest. It was an unruled and unfamiliar feeling for Edward, yet he could not hold himself together and started making his way towards Bella and the unwelcomed stranger.

As he approached her, aiming to blow the blond annoying subject off the way, many questions started racing in his head: What if she was actually interested in the guy? What if she wasn't searching for him but for this guy? What if she didn't want to be saved from him?

Edward's resolution faded almost instantly and his strong pace from a second ago slowed down as he started wandering what the hell was wrong with him that he just wanted to snap at a stranger because he was around a girl he had known for only a couple of days.

But then Edward heard Bella arguing with the guy, disgust evident in her voice, and all coherent thought left him and the protectiveness took over all of his senses. That's how he ended up holding Bella's waist from behind, whispering "play along" in her ear and then… Then everything went straight to hell.

The moment Edward felt the warm and electrical sensation pulsing through his fingers at the touch of Bella's body, he was lost in his own desire, no longer conscious of where and when he was. Just after he whispered in her ear he was struck by the scent emanating from her skin, and he found himself hidden in her neck, trying as hard as possible to keep the irresistible perfume buried in his nostrils.

And when Edward felt her soft body arching into his, and the subtle moan that escaped Bella's mouth, he could hold it no longer and allowed his most intimate desires to take over his judgment. He forgot he was in a bar, he forgot he was supposed to be faking and he forgot he had no claim over this girl. His aching lips found the crock of her neck, and he started depositing open mouthed kisses along her skin, from her jaw to his shoulder, biting and licking all the way, while his arms tightened around her as if declaring his possession.

And then the fateful cough broke the trance, leaving them both heated and embarrassed from the unexpected intimacy they had just shared.

Brought back to the present by his thoughts, Edward looked up at Bella sitting by his side and was somehow relief to see a painful gesture written in her features. Obviously he was not the only one feeling confused and voided inside from the lost of contact. The moment he had removed himself from around her his all body had felt suddenly cold and empty, as if some part of him had remained attach to Bella's thin figure.

Edward saw Bella twisting her hands on her lap, looking absentmindly at them, like if trying to conjure an aching feeling. The frowned expression of her face alone made his heart writhe, so he made an unconscious move to comfort her by reaching out to her.

Even before their skins touched, Edward felt the electrical current running from his fingers to hers, as if waves of heat traveled in the air between them. Bella felt it too, and Edward knew because the painful expression in her face changed and finally disappeared as his palm pressed firmly against hers, warm spreading all over their bodies.

Bella lifted his chocolate eyes to him and smiled shyly. Her pupils were almost glittering, and Edward felt the world had finally found its balance. Even world peace seemed possible as he looked into her eyes.

Rosalie's ramblings brought them back to the conversation going on around them, but they remained feeling kind of dizzy and gone while they hold hands under the table, smiling like childs and stealing side way glances at each other every now and then.

"Oh listen!" Rosalie yelled suddenly. "I looooove this song! Let's dance!" she squealed and dragged Emmet to the dance floor.

Bella was watching as Emmet and Rosalie started moving, when she heard a whisper in her ear: "Would you want to dance too?".

She turned around and found the soft green valleys of Edwards eyes, looking pleadingly at her. She gasped twice, before finally being able to speak. "I'm sorry" she said. "But actually I'm a terrible dancer"

"How so?" Edward asked.

"I have no sense of balance. And I trip over nothing. I would only ashamed myself and you" she replied.

Edward smiled warmly and stood up, lifting her from her sit with by the hand they were still holding. "I won't let you fall. Do you trust me?"

_With my life_, Bella thought. But instead, she just answered by nodding.

Edward walked with her to an edge of the dance floor, a retired corner away from his brothers and sister. He then held her arms and laced them around his neck, reaching his own hands to Bella's thin waist.

Thought they were moving with the music, Bella realized that no one was dancing like them, that this sort of movement and embrace seemed old fashioned and out of place among the other couples. Yet, she didn't mind. There was nothing regrettable or shameful in the way Edward was holding her, swinging her around while linking his eyes with hers all the time.

Moving swiftly to the music, Edward moved his hands to the small of her back and brought her closer to him, their chest almost touching, and rested his forehead in hers, never losing eye contact.

"Have we meet before?" He asked all of the sudden, his musical voice filling Bella's ears.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Have we met before last weekend?" Edward repeated.

_Almost all our lives_, Bella thought, but could not find the strength to tell him so. So she just decided to tell him a distorted truth.

"We have never seen each other before last weekend, of that I'm sure". No, they had never truly seen each other with real eyes. They had just met in a dream.

"Ok" He answered. "I just keep having this strange feeling that I know you, that somehow I should remember you"

Bella didn't answer, just took a deep breath that brought to her nostrils a pleasant smell that was all Edward. She wanted to remain like this forever.

They stayed like that for a long moment, unaware of the music changing in the background, their eyes glued together and their minds lost in the bubble they had created for each other.

Then Edward kindly moved away and spun her around, so skillfully that for a single moment Bella felt gracious as a ballerina, until he pressed his chest in her back achieving the same position they had held while they were at the table.

Edward continued waltzing around, lost in silence, holding her in his arms an inch closer every second.

Bella felt the moment he sunk his face in her hair and the intake of breath he made, while his nose travelled down from to top of her head to her shoulder, leaving a hot trace over her skin. She closed her eyes and arched her body into his at the sensation.

"You smell like heaven should" Edward whispered in her ear while caressing her neck with his lips, unaware of what he was saying and surprised too when he heard his own voice.

Bella turned around then and opened wide her chocolate eyes, and as Edward lifted his mouth from her collar, they found each other so close that their noses where touching.

Bella was sure then that Edward was going to kiss her. She could read in his eyes the unspoken desire. She felt her lips were aching, dry and swollen for the yet unreceived caress they were expecting, so she lick them innocently. Edward's eyes moved then to her mouth, as if hypnotized, and Bella felt him getting closer, his breath spreading like a veil over her face and, then, like a miracle, the tender tickles of his own lips touching hers like a feather.

And then Edward vibrated. Yes, he vibrated. Bella felt it on her leg.

Edward shook his head like if coming back from a dream and move away, jerking for his belt as he muttered an almost silent curse. He removed his pager from his waist, not relishing his arm from around Bella, and look at it.

"Fuck!" Edward yelled. "There's an emergency at the hospital and they need me. I have to go" his voice was almost pleading.

Bella stood there frozen, for what it seemed like an eternity. She knew he was waiting for an answer, but she just couldn't form a coherent sentence in her tongue. They had been less than a second away from kissing. She had even felt his lips almost touching hers. And now, all of a sudden, like if a kid had popped a balloon with a needle, they were again at the beginning of everything.

"Bella?" Edward whispered slowly. "I'm sorry, I have no choice"

He was looking at her with eyes full of hurt, and the tone of his voice was closest to a heartbroken apology than to an excuse. The eager way he was looking at her, as if unable to move without her permission, brought her back to reality.

"Uh…I'm sorry" She shook her head. "I was a little gone. You should go. It's an emergency"

Edward looked unconvinced, and Bella thought he was going to stay with her no matter what his responsibility was, so she managed to put a shy smile on her face.

"Go, please. I understand. You are a doctor and that's who you are. It's your responsibility" she said.

He smiled a little and bent down to place a kiss in her cheek before leaving. He stood there for a moment longer than necessary, and when Bella looked again at his eyes she saw that they were closed and he was again smelling her hair.

"Just go!" she laughed, pushing him towards the door. Edward smiled back at her, and waved goodbye before disappearing into the streets outside.

Bella stood in her place, a hand on the cheek he had kissed, and a longing in her eyes. Pushing Edward to the door had been the hardest thing she had ever done.

**I'm sorry. I know it's been a while since my last update. Truth is I finished writing the story, but mysteriously the final 4 chapters disappeared, so I had to start over. You have no idea how hard it is to rewrite something you have already written. So it took more time than planned.**

**Finally, this story is finished. I will try to update daily or every two days.**

**Please, review so I can know I haven't lost it!**


	23. Chapter 22: Fever

Chapter 23: Fever

By morning, the emergency was over and Edward was again on duty, so he was just wandering around the hospital feeling miserable for not had been able to stay with Bella last night and finish what they had began.

The memory of the almost kiss, the soft feeling of her lips inches away from his, was slowly killing him. He had never in his life desired something more that to have her. All of her. Body and soul. To claim her as his, in every possible way.

Edward didn't know when he was going to see her again, or even if Bella was not annoyed that he had left all of the sudden.

Being no longer able to restrain himself, Edward pull out his cell phone and sent Bella a message.  
"Hi. How are you this morning?"

He pressed send and waited. Five minutes later she had no answered. Ten minutes later he was out of his mind. Bella had never taken more than five minutes to reply to a message.

Edward tried to calm himself. He was thinking like an obsessed lunatic. Maybe Bella was out shopping and forgot her mobile. Maybe she was working or at a meeting. Maybe she was showering.

He realized then he knew nothing about her every day life. There were too many "maybes" to jump into conclusions.

Edward put his mobile back into his pocket and headed back to his work, trying to leave away the anxiety he felt in his chest.

By midday Bella had not answered and Edward was beginning to worry. He had checked his phone several times, but there was yet no sing of her.

Edward decided then that it was time to be courageous. He had never been shy o cautious regarding women (on the contrary, actually), but when it came to Bella he could not recognize himself. It was hard to dial her number and finally call her.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang, until he got the voice mail. Bella was not picking up. Maybe she was avoiding him. Maybe she was angry for his sudden exit. Or maybe she was with someone else.

Again, too many "maybes" and not a single idea of what to do.

Edward put his phone back into his pocket and headed back to work, hoping that the intense activity of the afternoon would keep him from sinking into desperation at the silence from Bella.

By three past midday, however, Edward was almost out of control because of the anxiety. He had called her over and over again for the last half an hour, and non once had Bella replied. All that he got was her voice in the voice mail.

A strong feeling of impotence was filling his chest. Edward could not leave the hospital to go find her nor could he reach her by any other mean but her cell phone. He was desperate to talk to her and plead forgiveness. Anything but this unnerving silence.

Edwared locked himself in an empty room and began pacing the space, nervous and restless, checking his phone every two minutes in worry.

Suddenly, his leg vibrated and the ringtone of an entry call began to fill the room. Edward reached for his pocket and the phone almost slipped from his trembling finger at the eagerness he felt. He looked at the ID and was disappointed to see it was only Alice calling.

"What's up?" he asked abruptly, annoyed because his sister was keeping his line busy while he waited for Bella to call.

"Are you ok? You seem angry" Alice asked in a tiny voice.

"No, I'm ok. I just have a lot of work, so I need this to be quick. Do you need anything?" Edward knew he was being an asshole but could not find in him to be polite right now. Bella was avoiding him, and he was too busy sinking in desperation to be nice to his sister.

"I was just wandering if you heard from Bella today. She didn't show up at college, where we were suppose to met to work on a paper. And I have called her several times, but she is not answering neither her cell phone or her house phone".

Edward remained silence for a moment. "Are you there?" he heard Alice calling.

"Yes, sorry" he replied. "No, I haven't heard from her today. I have texted her and called her, but she hasn't answer at all. I thought she might be angry at me because I left the club last night in a hurry because of an emergency"

"Bella wouldn't do that" Alice stated. "But now I'm really worried. She never does this kind of thing. I mean, not answering at all, disappearing"

"I know" Edward said. "Bella always answers my messages within five minutes at most".

"I think we should go check in her apartment. I have a key" Alice proposed.

"You have a key of her home?" Edward asked, suddenly curious.

"Of course I have, I'm her best friend" Alice replied as if she were stating an obvious fact.

"Alice, you have only known her for a couple of weeks"

"Are you going to keep asking stupid questions or are we going to check on her?" Alice said angrily. "I'm already worried about her. This is not ok. I have an awful feeling".

"Ok, I think is a good idea to go to her apartment" Edward tried to seemed calmed and cool, but his heart was beating like a freak.

"Would you come with me? Jasper and Emmet went fishing. And Rose and Mom went to the supermarket. I don't want to go alone. Just in case something has happened" Alice voice was only a whisper as she finished her sentence.

"Ok. I'll find a replacement and tell I have a family emergency. I'll meet you at Bella's place in fifteen minutes. Give me the address" Edward demanded searching for paper and pen to take note.

Ten minutes after Edward was parking in front of Bella's apartment. Alice was already at the front door, looking visibly nervous.

"She's not answering the bell either. We should go up" She said opening the door with her set of keys.  
They went up the stairs to Bella's apartment door. Alice knocked twice without getting any response. From the inside they only got silence.

Edward took his phone and dialed Bella's number. A ringtone invaded the hall, coming from behind the closed door.

"Her cell is inside" Edward said.

"That's it. I'm coming in" Alice stated and opened the door with urgency. She bolted inside and stopped abruptly on her tracks. "Bella!" Alice yelled and run ahead, just as Edward saw from behind her that Bella was laying spread on the floor, apparently unconscious.

Alice fell on her knees beside Bella and touched her face. As no response came, she lifted a pair of desperate eyes to his brother. Edward rushed into the apartment next to his sister.

"What's wrong with her?" Alice asked sobbing.

Edward turned Bella around and checked her breathing. It was ragged, but it was there. He lifted her body tenderly and cradled her in his arms. He touched her forehead lightly.

"She has a very high fever. We need to get it down" He said looking around. He took a blanket from the sofa, and wrapped it around Bella. "Alice, go to the bathroom and fill the bathtub. I'll get her there"

As Alice headed to the bathroom, Edward caressed Bella's check with his long fingers, outlining the soft curve of her chin. "Come back to me, Bella. I need to know what's going on with you" he whispered in her ear.

As if she had heard him, Bella moved a little and moaned painfully, not opening her eyes. "Everything is ok, sweetheart. I'm here. I will not let anything bad happen to you".

Edward lifted Bella in her arms like a doll and moved her to the bathroom. Alice was waiting for them and had done what asked for.

"Help me undress her" Edward said.

Alice nodded, and began retrieving the clothes off Bella's body while Edward held her in his lap sitting on the floor.

"Leave her underwear on" Edward stated. "I don't want her feeling ashamed once she wakes up because of me". Alice obeyed silently. Edward couldn't remember the last time Alice had been so silence. _She must be really scared_, he thought.

After Bella was undressed, Edward deposited her on the floor and quickly removed his clothes. Alice just looked at him and didn't make a single question. She trusted his brother with her life.

Once he was only in his underwear, Edward lifted Bella in his arms and went into the tub, putting Bella between his legs, holding her against his chest for balance.

Alice gave him a towel and Edward began spreading water over her forehead and hair.

Bella moaned a couple of times with annoyance. "It's ok, Bells" Alice pleaded. "We are with you". Edward left the towel on a side, and brought his hand up to move his finger inside her hair.

"Bella?" He whispered in her ear. "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?".

Bella complained a couple more times. Alice reached her hand inside the water and grabbed Bella's, entwining her fingers with hers. Then brought her friend's hand up and put it to her check with visible affection.

"Is she going to be ok?" she asked Edward concern.

"I hope so" He replied. "It's some kind of strong flu, for what I can get. Once her fever is down and she is at least half conscious, we are going to take her to the hospital".

Bella moved in Edward's arm and moaned softly. Alice saw as she lifted her eyelashes lazily. "She waking up!" Alice yelled excited.

Edward gently turned her in his arms until he was able to look at her face. As Alice had said, she was a little conscious, her narrowed eyes looking at him, still not quite able to hold the stare.

"Finally" He said, releasing the breath he had been holding. He put his forehead to hers, and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

"Am I dreaming again?" Bella whispered softly.

"No, darling" Alice said. "You are sick and you fainted, so we came to help you".

"Alice, bring us some towel. I'm getting her out of here" Edward said.

Alice left the bathroom in a blur.

"Are you sure I'm not dreaming?" Bella said groggily.

Edward laughed. "No, honey. If we are sleeping this is not you dreaming, but me having a nightmare". She looked at him confused. "You scared the hell out of me".

He moved himself from inside the tub, and even in her dream like condition, Bella was able to notice the beauty of his body as he stood beside her only in soaked black briefs.

Edward smiled a little following her gaze and lifted her from the water. Smiling at her, he said: "You look amazing in your underwear too". Bella would have flushed if it weren't for the fact that her face was already hot from the fever.

Edward wrapped her in the towel Alice had brought and took her to the bedroom, depositing her slowly on her bed.

"Could you change her in some comfortable and warm clothes?" Edward asked Alice. "Fashion sense doesn't matter now". Alice nodded and he left the room silently. He went back to the bathroom, took off his briefs, dried himself with the remaining towel and put on the clothes again.

Alice called him back to the bedroom, where he found Bella completely dressed lying on the bed. She lifted his chocolate eyes to him, and he felt his heart would shrink at her pained stare.

"Ok. Let's go. Alice you are driving. I'm taking Bella on the back seat" Edward said lifting her again and carrying her to the car.

An hour later, Edward came to the waiting area to find a very nervous Alice wrapped in Jasper arms, while Esme, Carlisle, Emmet and Rose were pacing around. They hurried to him as soon as they saw him

Alice was the first at his side, clutching his shirt in her tiny hands. "So? How is she?" she asked.

"She is ok" he answered, looking at all of their face. How was even possible for this girl to be able to have touched all of them so quickly, so that everyone was now there worried for her?

"She has a flu. Strong, but not out of the ordinary. She just got a really high fever. She will be able to go home in half an hour. But she will need care" Edward finished.

"You are bringing her home with us" Esme stated firmly. There was no asking or pleading in his tone. It was a motherly order. "We can all take turns and take care of her".

Edward looked at his family faces, as they all nodded. "I was just thinking about taking her to her home and take care of her by myself"

"No" Alice said. "You have to work. You can't be around her all the time. And besides, she is my friend too. I think we should take her home".

There was no place for discussion, so Edward just nodded and went to fill the paper to take Bella out of the hospital.  
A moment later, he was leaving with her in a wheel chair. She barely awake. He lifted her in her arms and got into the back seat of Alice's car, resting her head comfortably on his shoulder while he embraced her. She was asleep within second. Edward smiled gently and softly traced the line of her jaw with his finger, and she responded by lifting the corner of her mouth a little in her dreams. Edward kissed her forehead and look up as Alice pull out of the parking lot heading home.

**Reviews please!**


	24. Chapter 23: Sleep with me

Chapter 24: Sleep with me

When Bella woke up next morning she felt her head was heavy and her whole body was in pain. She blinked a couple of times and found that she was staring at a golden ceiling that did not look familiar at all.

"Hello there, sleeping beauty" said a too familiar voice.

Bella closed her eyelids and murmured resigned: "I'm dreaming again".

"Why is that you always think that you are dreaming when I'm around?" the familiar voice asked.

Bella opened her eyes and looked to her side to find a very smiling Edward sitting in a chair by the bed she was lying on. He extended a hand and carefully touched her forehead.

"Your temperature is better, although you still have a little fever" he looked back at her chocolate eyes and whispered "You really scared me yesterday".

"I did?" Bella questioned

"Yes, you did. Don't you remember anything about yesterday?"

"Actually, no. What happened? Where am I?" Bella felt confused and shaken.

"You were not answering my phone calls, and neither Alice's. We got worried, so we went to your house to check on you. We found you lying unconscious in you living room floor, so we carried you to the hospital. You had flu and very high fever, so we decided to brought you to our home to take good care of you" Edward explained.

"Oh" was all Bella was able to say. "I don't remember much".

"What is the last thing you remember?" Edward inquired

"I was working at my computer late at night, and I started feeling dizzy, so I went to bed. I was really cold and sweating. I realized I was sick. I heard the phone ringing and I remembered it was in the living room, so I stood up to retrieve it. And…I suppose I must have fainted, because I don't remember anything from that moment" Bella hesitated a moment. "I have a couple of images in my head about yesterday, but I believe most of them must have been hallucinations…"

"If you remember being in a bathtub with me, you weren't hallucinating" Edward laughed and Bella flushed red.

"That really happened?" she asked.

"You were burning, and we needed to take your temperature down, so we got you into the bathtub. I was holding you and Alice was at our side" he smiled devilishly. "But don't worry, we were in our underwear".

Bella looked back at the ceiling embarrassed, as she remembered the sensation of Edward's naked body pressed against her, and the amazing view of his body when he left the bathtub. That was the only memory she could recall from the day before. She couldn't even remember Alice, who was supposed to be there. _My memory is quite selective_, she thought, getting redder by the minute.

"You are ok now" Edward said holding her hand and bringing her attention back to him. "That's all that matters". He smiled, and Bella thought he could illuminate a room with it.

"When can I go home?" she asked. "I don't want to bother you, or your family. I can take care of myself. I have done it all my life"

"I know. But you are not bothering us. My family wants to take care of you. You should enjoy it. It will be good for you to get spoiled a little bit" Edward answered.

Bella looked back at his eyes, and suddenly she was again lost in the deeps of his green pools. As always, the entire universe revolved in his stare, and the world surrounding them vanished into thin air as they got into trance.

Edward was really close now. Bella could feel his fresh breath against her cheeks. A heated wave washed over her body as she remembered the almost kiss they had shared at the bar, the feather like caress of his lips as they barely touched hers; the promise of a heaven like place she had almost known.

Edward closed his eyes as he nearer her, inhaling deeply the desirable natural scent of her skin, naked of any type of perfume that could alter its perfection. Bella shut her eyes too, waiting for the unstoppable to come true, her heart pounding in her chest like crazy.

"You are awake!" A high-pitched yell filled the room, and Edward and Bella opened their eyes. The moment was broken, once more, as if something higher were always preventing it from happening.

Edward exhaled, exhausted from the unaccomplished scenario, and drew his eyes away from Bella's to look at the owner of the irritable voice.

Alice stared at both of them with pleading eyes, and a pout in her full lips. "Sorry" she whispered. "I was just too happy to see you awake" she apologized to Bella.

"I guess this is my cue to leave" Edward said looking back at Bella. "I have to work, but I will be back at night to check on you, ok?" He explained seeing the anxiety in Bella's look.  
"Don't worry Bella. I will take good care of you" Alice exclaimed. "And the rest of the family is going to be around too, so you don't have to worry about being alone or needing anything".

Edwared smiled back at her. "I don't know if that's a good thing or not" he murmured. "But all that matters is that you will be all right". He kissed her forehead, and then headed to the door, whispering something to Alice that sounded like "damn pixie".

Once Edward was gone, Alice smiled back at Bella and went to her side by the bed. "I'm really glad you are ok" she said taking her hand.

"And I'm glad I gave you the keys to my house" Bella replied amused.

"Oh, don't be silly. We would have knocked the door over" she answered brightly.

The rest of the day passed calmly. Alice took a place next to her in the bed, reading all morning while Bella rested. At midday, Esme arrived from work and prepared a delicious soup for her. Emmet, Jasper and Carlisle popped in from time to time just to check on her. By mid afternoon Rose and Alice helped her get a bath, and then the three of them watched a movie, even though Bella felt asleep in the middle of it.

When Bella opened her eyes again, it was dark outside and everyone was gone.

"Hi there" she heard someone whisper, and turned her head to find Edward sitting by her side. He stretched his hand and took a rebel lock of hair away from Bella's face. "No, you are not dreaming" he said amused.

Bella smiled back at him. He looked more than beautiful in his doctor clothes, and the way the moon light illuminated his figure made him resemble a marble statue of a Greek good.

"You are back" she stated as he caressed her face with his fingers.

"Yes, I am" he replied softly. "Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm better" she answered, staring quietly into his eyes. "Your family has been great with me".

"I bet" he stated. "Maybe you should go back to sleep. It's late and you need to rest. I just wanted to check on you. I didn't mean to wake you"

Edward lifted himself from the chair and began to leave the room.

"Wait!" Bella exclaimed suddenly. He turned around and looked at her.

"Please, could you stay a little longer?" she asked embarrassed. Good thing it was dark, so he couldn't see how flushed she was.

He smiled back and replied: "Sure". He made his way back to the chair, but Bella took hold of his hand and brought him to bed, moving to her side to let him know she wanted him to lie down next to her. He hesitated for a brief moment, but then he went along. Edward wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her head to rest in his chest. It felt comfortable, safe and natural.

"You looked tired too" she stated yawing.

"I am" Edward replied, curling a strand of her chocolate hair between his finger. "I have been on my feet all day".

"Then stay with me" she whispered softly, drifting out in sleep.

He smiled to himself before falling asleep with the soft body of Bella curled to his.


	25. Chapter 24: I'm not over loving you

Chapter 24: I'm not over loving you

Bella woke up first. She had just have a pleasant dream where Edward and her were holding hands in the meadow, looking peacefully at each other and playing with their finger across their skins.

She opened her eyes softly. It was early morning by the way sunlight was coming shyly through the window, barely illuminating the room. Edward was still in bed with her, but sometime along the night they had moved and now they were lying on their sides, face to face, holding their hands between their bodies.

He looked serene while sleeping. His face was so close Bella thought she could count his eyelashes. Edward's skin was pure white marble, perfect and flawless. His mouth was partly opened and his bronze hair was everywhere along the pillow.

Bella contemplated him for what seemed like hours. She had never had the chance to look at him for such a long time, at least not in reality, with her true eyes. He was the image of perfection. She brought herself closer and rubbed her nose against his and she saw him smiled crookedly in his dreams. Bella closed her eyes and went back to sleep with a grin spread in her face.

"Good morning sleepy heads!".

Edward and Bella jumped in bed, getting roughly awake by the high-pitched voice of Alice. She was standing in the doorway holding a tray with breakfast and looking at them both with goofy eyes. They looked so cute holding hands while sleeping close to each other that no one in the family had wanted to awake them. But it was late and Edward needed to get to work, so after everyone passed through the door exclaiming "Ahhh" in delight, Alice decided it was time to break the bubble.

"Sorry, guys. But Edward needs to get to work and Bella should have her medicine" she stated.

Edward opened his eyes lazily, founding two big brown eyes staring at him. They were so close to each other that their noses were touching, and suddenly all he wanted was for his sister to vanish so he could take Bella between his arms and claim her as he had wanted since the first time he saw her.

But instead, Edward smiled embarrassed and moved away from her. _I can't do it. I would scare her_, he told himself. Supporting his body with his elbows, he lifted himself from the bed and looked at her sister.

"Get up and move!" Alice exclaimed. "Or you will be late. I will take care of her".

Edward did as told and soon was out of the room, and away from Bella's view. She felt a pang of pain in her chest at the lost of his proximity.

"Now, you have to eat something and take your medicine" Alice said moving towards the bed and helping Bella get into a sitting position.

About fifteen minutes later, while Bella was finishing breakfast, Edward came back all clean up, dressed in a new outfit and smelling delicious. "I'm going" he said approaching the bed. "Do you feel better? I will be back by night"

"I feel a lot better" Bella replied. "And Alice brought my laptop from home, so I will be able to work a little during the day".

"That's great. I'll see you at night then. Don't work too much, get some rest. Ok?" He said before kissing her forehead and heading out.

The day at the hospital was slow. And soon after lunch Edward was over with his job and bored. He sent a couple of text messages to Bella, which she replied instantly, telling him she was ok and working in bed. Beside, Alice was with her and Esme kept feeding her like is she had never eaten before. He laughed at her comments and shutting his phone went to the doctors room to rest a little.

Edward lay down in the couch and flipped the channels, finding nothing interesting to see. Finally, he closed his eyes and fall asleep peacefully.

He dreamed he was standing in a meadow, which was covered with blue flowers and deep green grass. The sunlight was soft and warm, illuminating the place with a halo of yellow light. Beyond the meadow there was a dense forest. Thought it was the first time he was here, he felt he knew this place as much as his own home.

Edward felt her presence even before he heard her steps. He turned around and saw Bella staring at him from the edge of the opening. She was wearing a white lose dress, that fitted her waist and breast beautifully. Her chocolate hair was falling like a cascade over her shoulders, framing her exquisite features. She looked so gorgeous he felt his heart could shrink.

"Bella" he whispered, and was unable to say anything else. As she smiled at him he saw that her eyes were glowing. He took a couple of steps toward her, and so did she, so they were soon really close to each other. She lifted her eyes and stared deeply into his, not saying a word. Edward put his arms around her thin figure, and brought her closer to him until their chest were touching, but never leaving her eyes. Everything seemed strangely familiar to him, but he could not recall why.

They stayed glue to each others eyes for what seemed like hours. He didn't want to move or to break the moment. He wanted to stay in that instant forever. Holding her, feeling she was part of his soul, lost into the deeps of her eyes.

But suddenly Edward saw Bella's eyes changed, the glow in her pupils dying away. He felt something wet against his stomach, so he moved her a little away and his features were transformed in horror. The wetness was coming from her. Bella was covered in blood, a red stain spreading over her white dress, just under the line of her breast.

She collapsed in his arms, giving Edward just a fraction of a second to react and catch her before she hit the floor. He gathered her in his arms, panic rushing through his body, not knowing what to do. He inspected her, but could not found any injury. Blood was still coming from her, its source untraceable.

He looked horrified back at her eyes, tears clouding his sight, and all he saw was a deep pain and terrible sorrow, as Bella lifted her hand to touch his face. She caressed his jaw line softly and then her hand dropped, lying lifeless at her side. Edward noticed her eyes were closed and that she was not breathing anymore. Holding her motionless body against his chest, he cried and screamed her name at the top of her lungs, trying hopelessly to bring her back to him.

"No!" he screamed. "No! You can't leave me. I'm not over loving you. Please!"

Bella didn't move. She didn't answer either. She was gone. But none the less, Edward kept shaking her against him and screaming her name.

Edward opened eyes and found Jessica Stanley, the nurse, looking down at him shocked. She was holding his shoulders, and he supposed she had been shaking him awake.

"Doctor Cullen, are you ok?. You were screaming. I think you had a nightmare" she said.

Edward sat on the couch, his breath still ragged and looked at his trembling hands. He couldn't erase the image of Bella's dead body from his mind, the idea of losing her like a stake through his heart. Something was wrong, out of place. He grabbed the phone from his pocket and dialed Bella's number. He got the voice mail. He dialed his sister number then.

"Hey brother. What's up?" she asked.

"Alice, is Bella with you?" he asked anxiously.

"No, she received a phone call from her agent and, since she was feeling better, she went to the publishing office for a meeting. Is something wrong?" Alice sounded worry.

"I don't know. Do you have the address of the office she is heading?"

"It's downtown, but I have to google it to be sure" she replied.

"Ok. Do it and send me a message with the address" he demanded.

"Ok. In a minute. But please, tell me what's going on!" Alice pleaded.

"Hopefully, nothing. Just do what I'm asking" Edward finished the communication without saying goodbye. He stood and looked at the nurse by his side, whom still had a bewildered expression on her face.

"Jessica, please call Dr. Crowley or Dr. Newton and tell them I have to leave because of an emergency. Ask them to cover me, ok?".

Jessica just nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but Edward was already gone, running to the parking lot. He got onto his Volvo and headed downtown. Within a second he received a message from Alice with the address.

Not long after that, he was parking in front of the publishing company building. He got out of the car and into the reception area. The secretary looked up at her and smiled flirtatiously.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked bashing her eyelashes.

"Is Bella Swan here?" he required abruptly. He had no time for her crap.

"Mmm. No, she left a couple of minutes ago" the secretary replied visibly annoyed by his rough manners.

Edward ran out of the building without even looking at her a second time. Standing on the street he looked all around searching for Bella, but found no clue to where she might be. He was getting desperate by the minute. _Focus Edward_, he thought. _You know how to find her, just as she knew how to find you in the pool. _He closed his eyes with strength, doing his best to concentrate on Bella. An image of her came to his mind, sitting on a dirty floor with her back against a brick wall. Edward opened his eyes and run towards the direction in her brain.

He turned the corner of the alley and stopped hastily in his tracks. Before him, Bella was curling in the floor against a wall. A bald and thin man was standing over her, holding a gun in his hand and shouting at her.

"Where is he?" he said. "Tell me how to find him!"

"He doesn't exist" she was answering. "I made him up. He is a fictional character"

"NO!" he replied back, the gun trembling in his fingers. "No, he is real. You are a liar. You want him for you. There's no way someone like him could not be real".

The man stepped closer to her, touching Bella forehead with the weapon. She closed her eyes, and Edward saw the tears running down her cheeks. The sight of her pain unfroze him.

"Stop!" he yelled to the armed guy. The man turned his head and looked at him through red eyes.

"You…" he whispered taking a step away from Bella. Edward lifted his hands so the man could notice he was unarmed. Bella was looking at him with a desperate stare.

"Please, let her go" Edward asked.

He saw that Bella was shaking her head, like if she wanted him to leave it alone and go away.

The bald guy looked at him and then back to Bella. "No!" he shouted. "She lied to me. But I knew it. I knew you had to be real".

"What the hell are you talking about?" Edward enquired. "Please, just let her go so we can talk"

"We will be talking. Now that I found you, I will never let you go" the man replied staring into his eyes dreamily. "But first I need to get rid of her".

Edward saw the man approaching Bella, just as she lifted her eyes and looked at him with sad eyes. _She's saying goodbye_, Edward thought, and that triggered his reaction. He jumped over the bald man, just it time to move his arm away to divert the shoot. They struggled in the ground, but the guy was too thin and Edward was stronger. He threw the gun away and hit the bald man until he lay unconscious on the floor. Edward breathed a couple of time, watching down at him, making sure he was completely out.

He then heard a gasp and turned his head, reminded that Bella was somewhere near him, probably freaking out. He stumbled over to her, and found a pool of blood under her body. Her eyes were closed. Edward put a hand carefully over her face and called her name. "Bella?". She lazily opened her eyes. "My leg" she whispered.

Edward looked down and saw the injury on her right tight, a stream of blood running from it towards the floor. He took of his shirt and wrapped it over the wound.

"Hold on Bella. I will call for help" he said reaching his phone from his pocket and dialing 911.  
Within ten minutes, Edward was climbing over an ambulance, while the paramedics where attending Bella's injury. She was conscious, her eyes fixed in Edward's face like if her life depended on it.

"Talk to me, Bella" he pleaded.

"Please, don't go away. Don't leave me alone" she whispered.

"You won't get ride of me. So don't worry. Now rest, you will be ok" he said reaching out and grabbing her tiny hand in his.

She closed her eyes and fall asleep.

**We are getting closer to the end. But yet there are a couple more chapters to come. I hope you are enjoying this.**

**And tell what do you think about where this is going! Please consider how hard it is for me to write in English!**


	26. Chapter 25: Out of my life

Chapter 25: Out of my life

Bella opened her eyes in a dark hospital room. This time she didn't feel lost at all, since she could recall the entire events that had led her there. She remembered the crazy bald man with the gun, pointing at her and asking impossible questions. She remembered as Edward stepped in, trying to convince the guy to back away. And she remembered the shoot, the strong scent of gunpowder, the stabbing pain in her leg, and then, the painful stare of Edward as she lost her consciousness in the ambulance.

Bella blinked a couple of times, to let her eyes adjust to the dark, and looked around the room. As she suspected, she was not alone. In an uncomfortable chair by her bed was Edward sleeping, his eyes shut in a painful gesture. He seemed to be having a nightmare, so she stretched her hand and gently touched his cheek. Edward's eyes popped open in a sudden, and Bella was scared to see the fear written in his stare.

"Edward?" she whispered, believing he could still be lost in an unpleasant dream.

"Bella" he replied. The aching was replaced for relief. His eyes softened and a thin smile spread in his lips. "How are you feeling?"

"My leg hurts a little, but otherwise I think I'm ok" she replied.

"Good. Then perhaps you will be able to leave soon" he answered and lightly took her hand, lowering his eyes to inspect her palm. Playing with her finger, Edward whispered quietly. "I thought I was going to lose you back there, in the alley". He lifted his green emeralds to her, and she was surprised to see he was almost in tears.

"I'm sorry" was all Bella could answer.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. Even thought you are making a habit of scaring me to death". He gave her a shadow of a smile and squeezed her hand. "Do you care explaining me what happened?".

"Well, I went to the office for a meeting with Caroline, my publisher. Since my book is finished, she wanted to set a date for its release and other details. When I left, walking down the street, this guy appeared from nowhere and dragged me to the alley. He was pointing at me with the gun and shouting. The rest, you already know. You were there" Bella said. And then something came striking to her mind. "Hold on a minute. How did you know I was in trouble? How did you know where to find me?".

"I don't know. I just knew. I guess the same way you knew I was at the bottom of the pool" Edward replied. "I was at the hospital, I fell asleep and then I had a dream"

"A dream?" there was an edge in Bella's voice that Edward couldn't identify, something between fear and amazement.

"Yes, we were in a meadow, somewhere in a forest. I was holding you. And then you fell in my arms, and you were all covered in blood. A nurse woke me up then, and I knew I needed to find you" Edward explained.

Bella's face was transfigured into a strange gesture Edward couldn't quite place.

He looked deeply into her eyes, sensing no alarm in them, but bewilderment and something close to hope.

"You know what I'm talking about, right?" Edward said. "You had that dream too. The night you got me out of the pool" It was not a question.

"Yes" Bella barely replied. _And every other night since I can remember_, she thought but said nothing.

"Bella, what's going on?" he asked.

"I honestly don't know" she replied, but her voice was just a whisper.

Edward just nodded. He knew Bella didn't know why they both had this strange dreams and precognitions about each other. Still, there were other questions in his head.

"Then tell me what did the man that attacked you wanted. Tell me why he looked at me like if he knew me. Why he called you a liar as soon as he saw me" his voice was gentle, but firm. He needed and wanted answers.

Bella hesitated a moment, and Edward sensed it. She was looking for the right words, the way to expressed it without giving all away. He respected her moment, but kept staring into her eyes waiting for her reply.

"He wanted me to tell him where to find a character of my book" she answered softly.

"What?" now Edward was truly astonished. He had figured out the guy was out of his mind, but not that much.

Bella moved uncomfortable in her bed, and began again. "You must understand something, and I'm not showing off. I'm just telling you the truth. My books are really a worldwide success. Fans write to my company from all over the world. And my characters are adored by thousands. It's not the first time I heard of someone crazy in love with one of them, specially the male lead character. We are talking about sick people here, that can't tell the difference between reality and fiction. I know they exist, but it's the first time someone figured out who I was".

Edward looked at her. She was staring at their joined hands by the bed, visibly embarrassed. He just wanted to lift her chin and make their eyes lock again, missing the feeling of her chocolate pupils on him. But he resisted the urge in order to get more answers.

"What happened then? Am I crazy o he just figured out I was your character?" he asked.

"You are not crazy" was all Bella replied, still not lifting her look.

"How is that possible?" he said. She didn't reply, so he placed his hand under her chin and make her face him. Her eyes were full of tears. She gently squeezed his hand.

"I know you have many doubts. I have a lot too. But I can answer some of yours. I want to tell you everything. I want you to know who I am and what I do. But I need to show you, so we have to go to my place".

Bella was almost pleading. There was an edge of sadness in her voice. Edward stared at her for a few seconds. He was anxious to know what had happened in the alley, but if she was willing to tell him everything (and she had said EVERYTHING), he could wait.

So Edward nodded slowly and caressed her checks with his hand.

"I'm going to see if we can leave soon, since you are awake" he said and left the room.

They arrived at her place a couple of hours later. Bella's leg was pulsating with pain, but other than that she felt physically ok. Her state of mind, on the other hand, was a different thing.

She was at her apartment with Edward. The only time he had been there before, she was unconscious and could not remember. Now they were not only alone at her place, but Bella was also going to show him her office, and the different possible reactions to her story were the thing making her anxious and worried.

Alice had been thrilled to find out who she was, and even more than happy to know she had dreamed about her all her life. Alice sensed it as a sign. Edward on the other hand, was a different story. He was pragmatist and rational, and the extraordinary events they had been experiencing since they had met where completely disturbing for him. And she was about to throw a lot more at him.

Edward helped Bella into the apartment by holding her in his arms like a bride, and looked at her as if asking where to go now.

"Down the hall" she replied. "I'm going to show you my studio".

He nodded and began walking, pausing as she pointed to the closed door.

"What I'm going to show you is the place where I work. In here I have all the thing that matter to me and that had been my inspiration since I was really young" Bella said, looking straightly into Edward green eyes, and grabbed the door handle.

Edward helped her inside and placed her in a couch next to the desk, before turning around and staring at the walls. He stopped to check on every drawing by the wall, and to the framed photograph of Bella's parent. He saw the picture of the man standing in the meadow and recognized it immediately. Bella noticed and waited for a question, but he just said: "You are a gifted artist".

Edward kept looking around until he found the poster behind her desk. He turned to look at her.

"I know that cover" he whispered. "Is that from your book?"

"Yes" Bella said.

"You are really famous. Or at least your alias is" he said and smiled back to her, sitting beside her at the couch. She laughed timidly.

"Tell me about the book. Why is it so successful? And why did the crazy guy think I was your character?" he asked.

Bella breathed a couple of time before finding her words. "My book is about a love story between a vampire and a human girl. There is nothing extraordinary about the girl. But the vampire is the appealing one. He is not only beautiful, but also extremely charm in a kind of dangerous but at the same time tender way. I put a lot of heart into writing him".

Edward didn't say anything. He just stared at her waiting for more.

"I have a lot to tell you about me and how I started writing. But first I would like to show a picture" Bella lifted herself a little and grabbed a paper from the desk. "It's a picture of my male character". She handed the paper, but before giving it to him she said: "I draw it when I was fifteen".

Edward looked at her questioningly and then looked down at the drawing in his hand. The moment his eyes were on the picture something snapped inside him. He lifted his stare back to her, and Bella saw there was a sharp pain in them.

"This is your main character? This is how you imagined him?" he asked, his voice breaking with every word.

"Yes, that's him…" Bella wanted to tell him she hadn't imagined him, that he had came to her in dreams. But Edward never let her.

"So that's why you look at me the way you do all the time? That's why you like me? Just because I remember you of the perfect man you created for yourself?" he was almost yelling and his tone was filled with anger. Bella was almost crying, begging for him to let her explain.

"No, please… Just let me explain" she pleaded.  
"No!" he answered. "I don't want to know. This is sick! I'm not a dark fairy tale prince! And I'm certainly not perfect!"

He lifted from the couch and the picture felt from his lap to the floor. Bella just stared at him, tears rolling down her checks.

"Please, Edward. If you would just let me tell you the whole story…" she asked.

"I need to leave" he replied.

They heard the front door opening, and that was his cue to leave.

"It's Alice. She can help you. I…I need to go". And with that Edward was out of the room and out of Bella's life.


	27. Chapter 26: Void

Chapter 26: Void

Days went by after that afternoon, turning easily into weeks. And even thought Bella's injury began to heal, there was a big hole taking residence in her chest that could not be filled.

Alice had been the one to rescue her that dreadful day, after watching Edward fled the apartment in a hurry, not even bothering to say a word to her. She had hurried into the house calling out for Bella, until she found her crying in the studio.

After that moment, Alice had hardly left Bella's side, turning slowly into her own personal fairy godmother. She had been with her during the first crisis, and the restless days and nights that followed, while Bella debated between fever, nightmares and screams.

Jasper was usually with them, helping in every way he could. He would come by every afternoon after college to help Alice getting Bella into the bathtub; and stay at night in the guestroom with his girlfriend waiting for the moment Bella would wake up in tears screaming Edward's name to run to her side and calm her down.

Finally, after three days of being mostly gone, Bella woke up and decided she needed to do something with her life.

That day Alice allowed Esme and Rose to come by. They had been calling at least ten times a day to know how Bella was, but Alice would never let them visit and never once answered their questions about what had happened. Edward wasn't either, apparently.

When Esme and Rose arrived and hurried to the room to hug her, Bella realized she had to be honest with them. So, she told them. She told them about her parents' death, about her lonely and dark months, and about the nightmares. And then she told them about her dreams, about the Edward in her dreams, and about how she had become a writer. They listened silently until she finished by telling them about the day she had finally confronted Edward with the truth. The same day he had left and never returned.

Bella waited in silence as Esme and Rose digested what she had just say, anxious and scared they might go away as Edward had. But instead, Esme grabbed her hand and lovingly squeeze her, and said: "Don't worry darling. He will come to senses".

Rosalie had just smiled to her over her mother shoulder. Since that day, they were part of her routine too.

All the Cullen family took turns to watch over Bella. Rose and Esme would come and go, making errands for her or just being by her side. Emmet also came at least once day just to accompany her. And Carlisle came every night after hospital to check on her wound. But it was mostly Alice and Jasper the ones that were around.

Alice almost never left the house, not even if Esme or Rosalie were there. She never wanted to leave Bella's side, and she hardly ever went to her home. Bella knew it was because she loved her almost as a sister, but also knew it was because she was too pissed off with Edward to risk a change of facing him at their home.

As days went by Bella started to feel better, at least physically. The fever was gone and her leg was healing fine. She was making some exercises Carlisle had recommended in order to began walking as soon as possible.

Caroline had called along the weeks to check on Bella, and had taken the opportunity to remind her that she needed to work on some changes in the book before the release. Reluctantly, Bella began working in the book again. It was painful and heartbreaking to do so, but she did it anyway. Every page and every word was a reminder of Edward, of his hurt and his anger, of the way he was gone from her life forever. But she could not abandon her story. Not because of the pressure of the publishing company or the love of the fans, but because it deserved an ending. A happy ending. Like the one she would never have.

For some time, since she met Edward in reality, Bella had dreamed of the chance to have a happy life. After year after year of loneliness and sadness, Edward brought back hope to her existence. And now, he had taken that hope away with him. And it hurt like hell. It hurt even more than when she thought he was just an impossible fixation her mind had created in her desperate hours, a product of her imagination that had ruined love for her forever. Now she knew he was real, and yet still unattainable.

Feeling like this was much like going back to her dark years, to when life was just an obscure spot where she kept hiding. Hardly breathing and walking around, no living at all.

Bella was going around all these thoughts, lost in the empty sensation inside her chest that ache worse than a gun shot, when Esme entered the room, a motherly smiled spread across her beautiful face. She bent down to kiss Bella forehead and whispered: "How are you today, darling?" before gently letting herself down on the bed by her side. She reached for Bella's hand and held it tenderly between hers.

In that moment Bella realized this was nothing like her youth. She was not alone anymore. Edward might be gone, and that was a pain she could never get over with, but he had left her a gift: a family. Bella knew, deep inside her heart, that she was never going to lose the Cullen's affection. Maybe that was what the dreams had been all about. Maybe she was never meant to be loved by him, but by his family.

Somehow this idea seemed more logical to Bella. How could she have ever believed she could be the one for Edward? He was beautiful, smart and kind. As perfect as any dream could be. She was just a simple and plain girl, with no experience in the matters of love and with nothing special but a sad past and a lonely heart.

She would never experience love in her life, because she knew that there was no one she could ever love but Edward. But at least she could still dream about him every night, even though dreams were almost nightmares now. And she would not be alone anymore, since there were people now that cared about her and wanted to be part of her pathetic life.

Bella smiled at Esme as she began to fix her covers gently.

"Esme?" she called.

Esme lifted her eyes to meet hers lovingly, as Bella remembered her mother used to do the same when she was a child.

"Yes, honey?" she asked

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything you want" Esme smiled back.

"I was wondering if…" Bella stumbled over her words, not knowing how to formulate her doubt.

"Tell me, don't be embarrassed" Esme replied, and Bella knew Esme knew what she was going to ask.

"I wanted to know if you have any news on Edward. I just want to know if he's ok" Bella said.

Esme's eyes filled with sorrow, despite the fact that she already knew the question.

"I think he is ok, darling. But I don't know much about him. He has been avoiding all of us" Esme replied.

No one ever seemed to see Edward anymore, Esme explained. Since the fight with Bella, he had hardly been at his home. And when he was, he would never say a word, not even to Carlisle or Esme. And he never answered the phone or their messages.

Edward spent most of his time at the hospital, avoiding his father as much as possible. He was taking every extra hour he could get, just to make sure he would be at his house the least possible time. He would come late at night and go to bed without talking to anyone on the way to his room. And he would leave in the morning before his family would awake.

"Oh, Esme!" Bella cried out. "I'm so sorry! You shouldn't be here. He must believe you are angry at him for our fight. You should be with him, not with me. He is your son. I'm just someone you just met!"

"First, breath Bella" Esme replied. "And second, we are not leaving you and we are not taking sides. He knows that. And I know he wants us to take care of you, because he still cares about you. Edward is just having a hard time dealing with the truth, especially since your truth is certainly out of the ordinary".

Esme saw a tear falling down Bella's check. She took Bella's hand to gather her attention.

"Look, honey. You have done nothing wrong. Edward has chosen to avoid us because he is too hurt, and because he is too scared to deal with this. So he has decided to just work and sleep, and not talk to us. I think that he believes that if doing so, it would hurt him less".

"I don't know Esme" Bella replied shaking her head. "I still believe you should go back to your home and leave me alone. He's the important one. I just ruined everything. I hurt him. I'm the one to blame for what he is going through. You should all try to get him back".

"He doesn't want that. I have tried. We all have tried. Well, not Alice. But she has her reasons" Esme said. "Now, just rest Bella. We are not going anywhere. I promise everything will be all right".

Bella allowed Esme to put the covers over her body. She closed her eyes, but before sleep came, she thought about Esme's words. Things were never going to be right again. Edward was never going to came back. She had not only lost him, but also ruined him. He used to be cheerful and kind, but now he was angry and resentful. And it was her fault. Bella felt asleep then and dreamed about him.

Alice had been standing behind the door all along, listening to the conversation going on between Bella and her mother. Jasper had come to put his arms around her for comfort. Bella's pain was her own now, and Alice could not longer resist watching her best friend falling down day after day.

So when Bella woke up an hour later screaming Edward's name, Alice released herself from Jasper embrace and rushed out of the house without even looking behind.


	28. Chapter 27: Because I care

Chapter 27: Because I care

APoV

Jasper called me when I was about ten blocks away from Bella's apartment. At first, I thought about not answering, but then I realized he had no blame in this mess and he was just worried about me.

"Where are you?" Jasper asked as soon as I picked up the phone.

"I'm heading home" I simply replied.

"Tell me what's going on" he said softly. Oh, crap. I can never fool him. He knows me too well.

"I need to pick up some things" I tried to keep my voice steady while lying to him.

There was silence on the line for a couple of seconds. I didn't know what to think.

"Just don't kill him" Jasper whispered.

"I will call you back soon" I said and hung up.

I parked in our front yard and got out of the car. Edward's Volvo was not there, and it wasn't in the garage either. I picked up the phone and dialed the hospital number. The receptionist told me Edward had left the place at morning and that he wasn't supposed to come back until Monday. Apparently, his chief had ordered him to take "some days off". Stress reasons. I closed the phone and entered the house.

I crossed the living room, headed for the kitchen and finally up the stairs to the bedroom, but there was no sign of Edward. So I went to his room and found that his wardrobe was open and that some clothes were scattered all over the floor. His trip bag was also gone.

Fuck! I had no idea where to look for him. And I was sure he wasn't going to pick up his cell phone. Think Alice! Think!.

And then it hit me. I run to Carlisle studio, pushed open the door and headed for his desk. The first drawer was open and the key I was looking for was nowhere. Smiling I went to my room to pick up some stuff and went back to my car.

I called Jasper from the highway.

"Where are you now?" He asked.

"I'm driving to the beach house" I replied.

"Why on earth are you going there?". Ok, he was not happy.

"Because Edward is there and I need to find him" I said.

"You are not planning anything aggressive, right?"

"No, at least not physically brutal"

"I don't think this is a good idea" Jasper stated.

"I'm the only one that has not tried to talk to him. You heard what mom said" I answered.

"Yes, I heard. But I think you are too angry. It's not going to end up well".

"Jazz, where are you now?" I asked.

"At Bella's, of course" he said confused.

"Why?"

"I don't think I understand the question" he whispered.

"You pretend to be there because of me, but I know you are there because of her. Don't you?"

There was only silence on the other side of the line.

"You heard the story, you read the book, you saw the drawings. I know you feel it too. Why are you still there?" I repeated

"Because I care about her" he replied and after a moment of hesitation he added. "Just as I care about the rest of our family…"

"Bella is more than just a friend to me too. I think she is the losing member of our family. And I truly believe that Edward and Bella belong together. So I'm going to do all I can to get to Edward. I'm going to do it for them, because they are falling apart without each other. And I'm going to do it for our family too".

Jasper remained quiet for a long moment. I could hear his breathing in my ear.

"I love you. Drive carefully" he said then.

"I love you too. I will call you back later" and I hung up.

I arrived at evening. The sun was fading in the horizon. I got out of the car and went around the back of the house. I knew exactly where to find Edward. I held my bag close to my body, pressing it against my chest.

I saw him staring at the twilight. He was sitting by the pool; his bare feet on the water, and his eyes lost somewhere far away.

I hadn't seen him for a month. I had no idea until then how much I had missed him. Edward had always been my favorite brother and one of my favorite persons in the world. Seeing him like this – lost, sad, broken – was like looking at Bella all over again. They both had this dark aura around them, like if they had lost their souls.

I left my shoes and walked to him, sitting by his side and resting my feet in the water too. He didn't look at me.

"Hi" I said.

He didn't move.

"Don't" his voice was like ice. "Please".

I didn't ask. I knew what he was talking about: he didn't want to talk about it.

"I don't want to talk to anyone, even you" Edward continued.

"Too bad" I answered. "Because I do want to talk to you. Don't answer if you don't want to, but you will listen".

I grabbed my bag and took Bella's book out of it. I left it in the floor between us. He was curious enough to look at it.

"I won't" he replied.

"Yes you will. You will do it for me. But I think you should do it for you".

Edward turned around for the first time and looked at me. His eyes where hollow. There was not a single emotion in his pupils.

"I said no" he hissed.

"I don't care" I replied.

He looked angry and pissed for a moment, and I was glad to see it, because that was at least an emotion. I didn't care which one it was. It was something.

Edward buried his face in his hands not to see me and groaned.

"You love her" I simply stated, looking away from him to the horizon getting darker by the minute.

"It doesn't matter" he said.

"How could it not matter?"

"Because she doesn't love me" he replied.

For a couple of seconds I thought about forgetting my promise to Jasper and smack Edward across his face.

"How could you say that?" I asked instead.

"Because she doesn't love me. Bella is in love with a fictional character she created for herself. He might look like me, Alice. But I'm not him"

"You are him, Edward" I was losing my patience. "You are just looking at it the wrong way".

He got his face out of his hands to look at me. He stared at me as if I was an annoying mosquito.

"Bella didn't create him out of her imagination, Edward. She made him after you. She made him so he would look like you. The only thing she did was give him a different name and a rather…well…vampire style" I said. I truly hoped he would understand.

Edward looked at me for the longest time and then just added: "That's impossible". That did it. I completely lost my temper.

"Fuck Edward!" He looked at me bewildered. I had never yelled at him before. "Are you hearing the crap you are telling?" His eyes were wide and lost. He wasn't expecting me to be this angry at him. At that moment I thought maybe it was right to show him how pissed I was. Maybe I could get him out of his daze, make him see.

"How can you still think something is impossible? Bella rescued you from the bottom of a pool and saved your life. You saved her life too, after you dreamed about her being in danger. You two had been all but hypnotized every time you see each other, even thought you claimed to have never met before! Are you fucking blind?" I could hardly breathe from my rage outburst. Edward just kept looking at me, not saying anything, still shocked from my reaction.

"Do yourself a favor and read the damn book" I finally said as I lifted myself from the floor. "And if by some chance you get your eyes open enough to see that that is actually you in those pages, maybe you will find the courage to go talk to her and give her a chance to tell you her story"

He looked at me and then the book on the floor; then back at me. I saw the doubt in his eyes.

"If you can't deal with the truth, then don't" I said. "But then know that you don't deserve her. She is way too much for you"

I turned around and started to leave, when something else came back to me.

"Oh, and just in case your ego could handle it, it's not just you in the book. If you look closely, you may see a lot of familiar people"

And with that last sentence I left. I knew my words had been hard and a little cruel. But I needed to get him out of his bubble, let him see there was another side of this story, without compromising Bella's secret.

I heard a loud noise and knew Edward had violently thrown the book against a wall.


	29. Chapter 28: I came for your explanations

Chapter 28: I came for your explanations

APoV

"You did everything you could" Jasper said once again. He had been reciting the same since I got back from the beach house three days before. We hadn't heard from Edward or seen him since our encounter.

"Maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh. Maybe I should have tried to be sweeter" I said.

"No, you did what you felt was right" Jasper replied again. "It's on him now"

"I guess he just it's not going to do what I expected from him" I noticed the sadness in my own voice. "It shouldn't be so hard. But still, Edward was always my favorite brother. He has never disappointed me before. I guess, there is a first time for everything".

Jasper held me tight against his chest, and I buried my face into his shirt, filling my nostrils with the familiar, yet endearing, scent of my love. We were standing in Bella's living room, while she slept in her room. We couldn't leave her alone since she was still not well.

Jasper tightened his arms around me. As always, only Jasper could give me any comfort. But today even that wasn't enough.

I loved Edward as a real blood brother. And I loved Bella as much as him. So seeing them falling apart because of the distance they had imposed on themselves, was almost as painful as if it was being me.

"You didn't see him" I told Jasper in a whisper. "He looks terrible. He is truly suffering. And so is Bella. She is thinner every day and weaker, even thought there is nothing physically wrong with her. You heard Carlisle. It's just how sad she is"

Jasper nodded and kissed the top of my head. I looked into his blue eyes and saw that he understood too. He loved them both as well. And even though he hadn't been there with Edward and me, he could see him through me eyes. And it was killing him too.

"We will be ok. And so will they, even if they never get a chance to see each other again. Bella is a strong girl. She will get over it. And so will Edward" Jasper said. I recognized the hope in his voice. And his hesitation.

"I wish you are right" I replied. I was the one with the visions. But right now, nothing seemed very clear. All I knew was that my brother was broken and away. And my best friend was lying on a bed a few feet from were I stood, getting weaker every minute because of him.

A knock in the door brought me back from my thoughts. As always, Carlisle had arrived to check on Bella, even when we all knew she was not sick. At least, not in a way Carlisle could cure.

I reluctantly released myself from Jasper's embrace and walked to the door.

It was not Carlisle who stood in front of Bella's apartment.

BPOV

I was coming back to bed from a trip to the bathroom when I heard the knock in the front door.

As I climbed with some difficulty back to bed, I looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was the usual hour for Carlisle's visit.

I smiled a little to myself. Carlisle knew there was nothing he could do to help me now, at least as a doctor. But never the less he kept coming every day.

I guess he was hoping to help me through his affection. And the rest of the Cullen family was following his lead.

I appreciated the effort. I truly did. And so I tried every day to look better. But the truth was I wasn't improving at all.

Although my injured leg was better, I could hardly stand on my own. I was thinner and weaker every day, and I knew it was because I could barely eat or sleep well.

Truth is, it's really difficult to get over and move on when the object of your affection and misery is present in every dream you have every night.

I heard the door opening almost instantly. As always Jasper and Alice were in the house. They never left my side, helping me with every move, even when other members of the family were around.

If Alice was my fairy godmother, Jasper was certainly my guardian angel.

A couple of minutes later, I heard the front door closing. I sat on the bed and tried to look my best for Carlisle, which was not easy. But…he never showed up.

"Alice?" I called curious. The only answer was silence.

"Jasper?". Still nothing

Perhaps they had finally heard my requests and left the apartment. Even thought I enjoyed their company and help beyond any word I could express, I didn't want them to be held prisoners of me. So maybe they had decided to go out and be on their own for a while.

Suddenly, it hit me. I was alone. The sensation that filled me was uncomfortable and foreign. I had been a lonelier almost all my life, but now I was so used to been with the Cullen that the silence seemed suffocating.

I decided to check, just in case. So using all the strength I had left, I climbed down of the bed and headed to the living room.

The lights were off, and the only light in the room was coming from the large window on the east wall.

I saw my own reflection on the glass and it shocked me to notice how little of me was left to see. Wearing only my pajama, I looked sick and hardly alive.

Dismissing the image, I continue towards the kitchen, seeing that it was the only illuminated room in the house.

I braced myself against the countertop, hoping to remain stand and steady, and almost failing miserably. Nor Alice or Jasper was there. They were truly gone. And in that moment I felt loner than ever.

That's when I sense it. Even before I heard him, I knew he was standing on my back. Electricity filled the air and a delicious scent hit me square on the face.

Trembling, I turned around and at the look of his deep green eyes all I could say was his name.

Edward looked thinner and paler, but he was still a sight of pure beauty.

Reaching the countertop to hold myself in place, I prepared myself for what was to come.

EPOV

I saw her from a corner of the dark living room. I thought that my heart would alert her of my presence, since it was beating harder and louder than ever.

Bella looked different that how I remembered her. She was thinner and her health looked fragile, even though her injured leg looked ok.

She walked holding herself on every surface of furniture or wall she could find, and yet it still looked like she could hardly move.

My heart skipped a bit then. I recognized in her weakness the exhaustation I myself felt dew to the nights of no rest. I knew I had caused it.

I followed her through the darkness into the kitchen. She steadied herself on the countertop with her back to me. I saw the moment her body went still as she recognized my presence.

"Edward" she whispered, turning around to face me.

I restrained the urge to run to her and hold her against my body.

Wearing only a short and a tank top, she looked like she could brake with any breeze. But still, she was the most beautiful women I had ever seen.

She looked at me with her innocent deep brown eyes, and I could see the sadness and hopes mixing in her stare.

I made an effort to concentrate and not to lose my mind at her beauty.

Looking straight into her eyes, I removed the book from behind my back and threw it across the kitchen.

"I came for you explanations" I said, but my voice didn't come out as steady as I had hoped.


	30. Chapter 29: Abandonment

Chapter 29: Abandonment

"I came for your explanations" Edward said, and Bella looked at the book lying at her feet on the floor.

"You read it?" she said hesitant.

"Alice asked me to" he replied

"And what did you think?"

Edward remained silence for a moment. "It was a disturbing experience" he said at last, remembering what it had felt to read a book where everything recalls of your own life.

Seeing that Bella was silent, Edward continued: "I'm giving you a chance to tell me. I won't come back again".

Bella raised her eyes then and looked at him with intensity. She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders as much as she could in her condition. When she spoke, her voice was firm and strong, and her words precise.

"As you know, my parents died in a car accident seven years ago" Bella said, and waited until Edward nodded in acknowledgement before continuing.

"What you don't know is what that lost did to me" she whispered with a shaken voice. "To lose both of your parents at such a young age is difficult for any child. For me, it was devastating.

I was always a lonely girl. Too shy and too different. I had only a couple of friends, so my mother and father were my whole world.

When they died, I was left alone. I was forced to move to Forks with an aunt that, even though cared about me, never truly loved me. The little I knew, I had to leave behind. My few friends. My home. And any place that could remind me of happier times.

I grew loner than ever. My aunt didn't pay me much attention, and I had no friends at school.

But it got worse. As if my loneliness and mysery weren't enough, the nightmares began not too long after my move. I started having dreams about my parents' accident. I dreamed about them dying every night, over and over again.

I hardly ever slept back then. So during the day I could barely stay focus. I looked horrible, and felt even worse.

As weeks went by I became a kind of zombie. Moving in auto pilot, I was more dead than alive.

At first, I found refugee in my books and my drawing. But fantasy was not good at night, and soon it wasn't either during the day.

I felt broken and was little left of me. I was just an empty shell with no soul. I was exhausted beyond description. I kept breathing and moving by habit.

Truth is, there was nothing keeping me attached to life. And even though I never considered suicide, I hoped for death. Death would have been easier and peaceful. I needed a rest from life. I actually craved for it"

Edward felt a pang of pain in his chest as he heard her. It was hard to relate the Bella he knew with the dark girl of her story. And it was even harder to hear her consider her own death so lightly.

"But then something happened, and everything changed" Bella said, and Edward saw her eyes sparkle with joy.

"One night I had a different dream. And for the first time in months I got some rest. After that day, that dream came back to me every time I closed my eyes. And it still does. I never again had a nightmare. So for the last seven years I have dreamed the same thing night after night".

Bella raised her eyes and looked straight into Edward's green orbs.

"That night, seven years ago, I dreamed about you" she said with a steady voice, making Edward's skin tremble with a jolt of electricity.

"For the last seven years every time I go to sleep I dream about you. Not of someone like you. Actually you" Bella stated with no sign of doubt in her voice.

"We hardly ever do anything besides looking at each other in my dreams" she added. "But one night I dreamed that we were in a meadow and you were standing with your back to me. Suddenly, you turned around and, looking at me, you said my name. It was just a whisper, but it was enough. That was the day I lost any hope of a normal life. You ruined reality for me forever".

Edward looked at her with obvious confusion in his eyes.

"You were a dream, Edward. Until then I thought you were a product of my imagination, a creation of a broken mind. I was a child back then. So, I did the only thing that I was good for: I wrote you a story.

I created a world for you. I gave you a past and a family, all of which came from my dreams too. And I never expected my book to be a success, but the audiece fell in love with it. Mostly, I believe, they fell in love with you".

"Then, I met Alice" Bella smiled warmly thinking of her friend. "I handn't had a friend in years. But with her it felt safe and natural. So I trusted her with my story. And Alice knew. She realized it was you. So she arranged the meeting at the beach house without telling me about you.

That's why I fainted that day. Do you remember? You turned around and said my name. But this time I was not dreaming. I was looking at you with my real eyes.

I could have recognized you even without my intensity of your scent, the sound of your breathing, the texture of your skin. It was truly you.

After years of believing you were a fantasy, you were there, in flesh and blood, standing in front of me".

Bella looked into Edward's green eyes. "Don't you get it, Edward?" she asked. "It was always you. It's not that you remember me of a fictional character. I created him to be like you. Because it was you the one who changed my life. You were my only friend, my companion, my confident, and the only beacon in the darkness of my life. And you ruined love for me forever. You set all my basis of comparison." Bella voice trembled as she lifted a hand to Edward, inviting him to take it.

"It was always you, Edward. I have loved you since the first time I saw you. Even when I though you didn't exist. I never stood a chance. You got me since you laid eyes on me seven years ago in a dream".

Bella remained looking at Edward, her hand extended between both of them, waiting for him to have some kind of reaction.

But Edward's face was blank. There was no expression what so ever in his features. His eyes were rigid and empty of any emotion.

Even though she tried, she could not read anything behind his pupils. Edward was a statue. His face was stony like and his stare was cold.

Bella allowed her hand to fell to her side with pain. She looked for a brief moment to her bare feet and then lifted a pair of teary eyes to him.

"Leave" she whispered.

Edward did not move.

"Just leave!" she pleaded. "Leave me alone, please!"

Edward seemed to snap back from his trance by her shout. With eyes that screamed about his confusion, he took a couple of steps back and disappeared into the living room.

Bella heard the front door as it opened and closed. Just then she allowed herself to brake.

"NO!" The sob escaped her chest and filled the kitchen space, followed not far behind by a wild stream of tears.

Bella lifted a hand to her heart, as if with the gesture she could calmed down the throbbing pain in her chest that threatened to overwhelm her body.

It felt like her insides were broken into thousands of tiny and pointy pieces, pinching her from the inside. The emotional pain was so much, it hurt physically.

She felt that she was going to die in that moment. All her life, all her hopes, all her dreams had just walked out of her house forever.

But then, just as Bella was allowing the pain to overtake her and to win over her weak will, she saw between her tears as Edward came back bursting through the door like driven by a demonic force.

He grabbed her hips and lifted her into the stainless steel countertop so she was eye level with him, and before Bella could understand what was going on, she left Edward's lips on hers.

It was passionate, and hungry, and wild. Like a desperate claim that could no longer wait. Edward's mouth moved over hers with the fever of too many nights waiting, of too many desires on hold, of too many moments lost fantasizing.

Bella allowed her lips to part, and she felt Edward's tongue invading her mouth, licking and tasting every inch of it as if it was a sacred elixir.

She moaned, the sound lost within the depths of the kiss itself, as she felt Edwards scent in her face, the taste of his lips and the heat radiating from his perfect body pressed between her bare legs.

The kiss was nothing like she had expected her first kiss to be. It was not romantic or slow as she had imagined. Instead, it was full of tension and eagerness. Hot, rough and sensual. But now she couldn't imagine how she had ever wanted it any other way.

Edward's hands, that at first had cupped her face, moved. His right hand was holding the back of her neck, his fingers combing with strength the curls of her chocolate hair. His left hand, meanwhile, had found its way down her body, caressing her tight and up, until it meet the hem of her shirt, reaching underneath to touch the skin.

Bella felt him tense against her, his fingers trembling under her thin tank top and his mouth pressing with renewed passion on her lips.

Edward moved away from her, eyes clouded with lust and thousands of mixed and indescribable emotions. He moved his hand to cup her face once again, his thumbs caressing her cheeks, his pupils searching all of her features as if trying to memorize her.

Bella bit her bottom lip in anxiety and nervousness.

"Oh God!" Edward whispered with a breath, and looking straight into her eyes added. "I love you so much".

No further words were needed. At hearing his declaration, Bella searched for his lips, bringing his body close to hers by reaching her arms around his neck.

Edward reacted instantly, leaning his hips between her legs until the evidence of his arousal was pressed against her stomach, and kissing her deeply like if trying to reach her soul.

In a single and swift movement, Edward wrapped Bella's leg around his waist and lifted her from the countertop. Without breaking the kiss he moved them all the way to the bedroom, settling her comfortably over the bed.

He then took a time to look at her. Hovering over her, Edward studied the soft curves of her body and the brightness of her hair spread all over the mattress.

He stared at her, silently, for the longest time.

"What are you thinking?" Bella asked smiling sweetly and touching gently his face with her fingers. To Bella's surprise, she saw Edward leaning against her palm, seeking the warmth of her skin.

"You are so beautiful…" he said, and it sounded a lot like a prayer.

Bella smiled widely. "It fells so strange to hear you said that, you know?" she murmured caressing his checks with tenderness like if he was made of crystal. "For seven years I have worshiped you as an icon of pure beauty. But now that I have a chance to look at you with my eyes, I realize my dreams made you no justice".

Edward's eyes were a mess of emotions. "I'm so scared, Bella" he said suddenly. "I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill your expectations. I'm not the perfect being you believe me to be".

"You are not perfect, Edward" Bella replied, smiling as she touched his face softly. "I love you with all your imperfections and flaws, because they made you perfect…for me"

Edward's eyes sparkled then, and his pupils darkened with desire. Slowly, he leaned down until he found her lips. This kiss had no rush and no hunger, but yet it was such as passionate as the one before. He took his time to caress her mouth with gentle and soft moves. Savoring, tasting, discovering. Slow and gentle, but with surgical precision, Edward touched every fiber of her body with just the magic of his tongue and lips.

Moving away from her mouth, he found the line of her jaw, taking his kisses to the curve of her neck.

"I want to make love to you" he whispered in her ear. Bella closed her eyes, her body trembling with his word like if he had just touched her in the most intimate way.

"Let me worship you now" he added and moved to look into the depth of her chocolate eyes, leaning his forehead to hers.

"I want everything with you" Bella said in a tiny voice, and opened her eyes to stare into his green ones, determination strong in her pupils.

Bella sit on the bed in front of him. And as they found their lips again, they slowly and sensually began removing all of their clothes, discovering and adoring every inch of newly exposed skin, until they were completely naked.

Edward kissed Bella's mouth again and slowly lowered her to the bed, settling himself between her legs. He searched for her eyes then, like if asking for her consent. He knew what this meant. He knew he was his first.

Bella looked into his eyes, and with no words, she grabbed him by the back of his neck and brought his lips to hers, lifting her hips to his.

Looking straight into her eyes, as if worrying she may break or disappear, Edward positioned himself at her entrance. He felt the moan that escaped Bella's mouth at the anticipation of what was to come, just a second before he lost all of his control and thrust into her.

Nothing he had experienced before could have prepared him for what he felt being inside of her. He buried his face in the crock of her neck, and shut his eyes, praying to have the strength to control himself and no give in to the burning need moving thought his veins.

Edward lifted his eyes from Bella's neck after a moment, and searched for her face. He saw a single tear slipping down her check.

"Oh my God!" he whispered, paralyzed in fear. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, not at all" she sobbed back.

"Then why are you crying?" he asked paranoid.

Bella's musical laugh filled the air and her body vibrated with it, making Edward feel a new wave of intense pleasure. "Because I'm here. With you" she answered. "And this is the first time I feel complete in my life".

Without losing her eyes, Edward began moving inside of her and emotions he could not control began overpowering his mind. He had wanted her, suffered her and loved her for too long. His body was now painfully surrendering to hers. But he managed to stay focus, and was pleasantly rewarded with the way Bella closed her eyes in ecstasy as her back arched against him, signaling the pleasure she was also achieving.

Captivated and prisoners of their bodies and the feeling they could arouse on each other, Bella and Edward made love all night with utter abandonment.

**All that's left is the Epilogue, which will come soon enough.**

**I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it…for the second time. I think is nothing like the first time I wrote it, but if something is more powerful.**

**I'm hoping to hear about you and what did you think of it.**


	31. Epilogue

Epilogue

Sun came through the closed curtains of the bedroom as morning announced its arrival.

I should had been sleep by then, but somehow it eluded me. I was exhausted. The events of the night before still fresh in my mind but, mostly, in my tired body.

Yet I could not conceive the idea of falling sleep.

I was too scared to rest.

What if sleeping was actually waking up? What if I was inside a dream? I would be back into my nightmare reality. And I didn't want that. I could not lose her again. She was mine now, and I was not about to give her back.

I allowed my eyes to drift back from the window to the sleeping figure of the women I loved. She was lying beside me on the bed, on her side, her face to me, her small hand clasped in mine between our bodies. Just like the night we had slept together for the first time.

I smiled tenderly looking at her features as she rested peacefully. She was exhausted, just like me. But for the first time in weeks I knew it was a happy exhaustation. One that came from the love we had shared all night.

I rested my hand softly against her check, and I saw her smile a little, lifting the right corner of her mouth. She looked so at peace. So young. And so impossibly beautiful.

The buzzing of something interrupted my line of thought. I reached for my cell phone on the floor, just where my pants had landed. I looked at the screen: _Alice. _For a single moment I played with the idea of not answering, but my sister did not deserve that. She was the one that had believed in both of us since the beginning. She had made it possible.

I opened the phone and greeted her. "Hi Sister" I whispered, hoping not to awaken Bella.

For a long second, only silence came from the other side of the line. "Is she ok?" Alice asked with caution.

"Yes" I replied.

"And you?" she questioned again.

I smiled a little to myself. "Tired, but happy".

I could hear her laughing.

"Mom wants to talk to you" Alice said finally. "Love you" she added before handing the phone to Esme.

"Edward?" my mother's voice was hesitant.

"Yes, mom" I replied. "I'm here"

"Are you alright?" she asked concerned. I hadn't talk to her in a long time. Suddenly it hit me how much I had missed her motherly love.

"Yes" I answered. "I'm sorry".

"I know" she said tenderly. She understood my apologies and ask nothing more.

"Where are you?" she wanted to know.

"I'm at Bella's"

"Is Bella ok?" Esme's voice was full of hesitation, not knowing how I would react. I could understand her. I had been quite a bastard lately.

"She is sleeping beside me" I cast my eyes down to stare to the still figure of Bella, her chocolate hair spread over the pillow and her eyelashes hidding her beautiful eyes. She was an image of innocence.

"Son" Esme brought me back from my reveries. "I need to ask you a favor"

"Sure, mom" I replied. "What is it?".

"When Bella wakes up, please take her where she belongs" she said.

I did not understand, and remained silence thinking about her words.

"Bring her home, Edward" Esme whispered tenderly. "Bring her with her family. To us".

I smiled to myself a little. "Of course I will, mom".

Esme hung up then. I looked down at Bella then. Lying by her side again, I grabbed her hand and kissed her palm softly. Finally at peace, I closed my eyes and surrendered to sleep.

That night Bella and I slept with no dreams at all.

**This is the end. **

**I hope you have enjoyed it. I certainly did. Although is kind of sad saying goodbye to this story. **

**I loved your reviews and I wish to read some more now that this chapter is closed.**

**I hope to be able to be back soon with another story.**

**Regards!**


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